History, aims and objectives of the Campaign

The South Downs Campaign (SDC) was established in 1990.  It is a grouping of local, regional and national, largely voluntary conservation and environmental organisations, but including a significant number of town and parish councils, that share the objective of securing a better future for the South Downs.

The aim of the Campaign is:

to secure the establishment of a South Downs National Park, in accordance with the provisions of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, as amended by the Environment Act 1995, with the powers and funding to ensure the proper protection and enhancement of the area included in the Park for future generations. 

To achieve its object the Campaign seeks:

• The protection of the integrity of the Downs through tougher and more consistent application of planning regulations
• The encouragement of more environmentally sensitive farming and funding for the benefit of wildlife and landscape, particularly through reinstatement programmes
• Protection and conservation of the surviving downland heritage, including prehistoric landscapes, barrows and field systems, and more recent systems such as dew ponds and old barns
• Positive policies to promote living villages and communities in the downland countryside. I n particular to enable landowners and farmers to obtain an economic return for farming practices appropriate to the South Downs and encourage affordable housing and appropriate housing and appropriate employment in villages
• A balance between visitor capacity and visitor numbers through the implementation of a cohesive strategy.  Whilst improving access to the Downs, the strategy would aim to prevent damage to the fabric by managing visitor use and minimising conflict between visitors and those who work on the land.

Since the 1995 SDC group has campaigned for a National Park using the new legislation. The 1995 Environment Act greatly strengthened the priority of conservation over recreation in National Parks, gave independence to National Park Authorities and provided greater flexibility in the application planning management.

In accord with the Countryside Agency, the Government's statutory advisors on the countryside, the South Downs Campaign believes a National Park is the best mechanism for securing the long term future of the South Downs.

The South Downs Campaign believes that:

• The South Downs National Park should include as a minimum the whole of the existing Sussex Downs and East Hampshire AONBs
• The new South Downs National Park Authority should be vested with full planning powers

The South Downs Campaign is funded by the the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, The Gatliff Trust and the contributions of its members (see member links for full listing).  Further information on the Campaign is available in the Campaign's newsletters and position papers.

For pictures of the areas in the SDC Campaign Boundaries please click here