National park inquiry ends after 13 months

Inspector Robert Neil Parry has heard more than 630 hours of evidence from interest groups and the public over 90 days.

On Thursday he will officially close the hearing, opened last November in Worthing.

Countryside Commission officials first discussed making the South Downs a national park more than five years ago but rejected the bid.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott then gave new life to the campaign in 1999 by calling on the Countryside Agency to reconsider the decision.

The proposed national park would include two areas already designated as areas of outstanding natural beauty, the Sussex Downs and East Hampshire.

Some 5,810 written representations have been made and people who appeared before the inspector have presented 633 documents.

A total of 94 per cent of those expressing a view were in favour.

The Countryside Agency, which advised the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), has been the principal supporter of the bid.

Jane Cecil, head of the agency's Finest Countryside campaign, said: "We have not heard anything at this inquiry to change our mind that all of the land we have designated fully meets the high standard required to be England's newest national park.

"National park status is the best way of providing the protection and integrated permanent management the South Downs urgently needs."

The proposed national park would stretch 73 miles from Eastbourne in the east to Winchester in the west, covering much of the Downs north of Brighton. This would make it the largest in the country, covering 1,637 square kilometres.

Robin Crane, chairman of the South Downs Campaign, said: "We are greatly relieved it will soon be all over. "Overall we are very pleased with the way the inquiry has gone and feel confident we have made a good case."

The inspector is to publish his recommendations on a date to be announced on Thursday. This document will go to Defra before a final decision.