How will the South Downs National Park be protected?

The South Downs National Park lies approximately 1 kilometre to the east of the SGO.

The Council has excluded areas from development which could have a visual impact on the National Park.  The Local Plan’s SGO policy requires that the development is designed to protect the setting of the National Park (including lighting to protect ‘dark skies’), and provides traffic management measures within the National Park.  The emerging SGO master plan reflect these aims. 

The transport assessment does indicate that the SGO could increase the levels of traffic in some parts of the South Downs.  This demonstrates the importance of introducing appropriate traffic management measures within the National Park to minimise these increases.

The Council is discussing these issues with the South Downs National Park Authority.  As a result the Council has proposed to the Planning Inspector modifications to the Local Plan’s policy to strengthen the requirements to protect the South Downs.