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Tree Guards: Protectors or Polluters?
Chris Steibelt, Trustee, is heading a new project and tells us why Friends of the South Downs have decided to launch this campaign It’s more than likely for this to be a common sight in our countryside in the coming years as the UK Government sets ambitious targets for planting as many as 3000 hectares
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Rewilding the Downs
Friends of the South Downs have been asked for our view on rewilding, especially in relation to the sensitive landscape of the South Downs. Glynn Jones has approached this controversial subject. Rewilding the Downs is a complex issue, mainly because the Downs as we know and love them are entirely unnatural and a product of
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Dark Satanic Mills
A Weald circular walk taking in Milland and Coombe Ponds and the history of the area The cannons that sunk the Spanish Armada in 1588 were probably forged in the Weald. For over 300 years the ancient forest (the “Wald”— named by the invading German tribes) was cut down to fuel the furnaces that made
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The Great South Downs Sit Down
Many walkers tell Friends of the South Downs that there is very little provision to sit down and rest along the South Downs Way, which runs from Winchester to Eastbourne. Today, 19 May 2021, marks the day we proudly reveal the first bench in our ongoing project to provide seats at intervals along the entire
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Cycling in the Downs
Have you ever thought of doing sections of the South Downs Way on your bicycle? For anyone not so keen on the uphill sections there are electric bikes available for hire in a number of towns located close to the South Downs Way. Midhurst is the recommended start point for this 20 mile roundtrip. E-Bike
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Planning Update for Hampshire Festival
An organisation has applied for planning permission in the South Downs National Park between Alton and Bordon. This planning application concerns a site off the B3004 in the parish of Worldham. Application details: SDNP/19/03709/FUL Change of use of Oakland Farm and associated land holdings from Agriculture and B8 (Open Storage) to mixed use Agriculture, B8
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Proposed new building regulations not ambitious enough in reducing CO2 emissions!
Towards the end of 2019 the Government consulted on Changes to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations. This consultation set out the Government plans for the Future Homes Standard to be introduced by 2025. It is the first stage of a two-part consultation about proposed changes to the Building Regulations. Sounds pretty
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‘Dreadful’ design for former Auction Rooms in Garden Street, Lewes with no affordable homes
Our volunteer District Officers (DOs), Liz Thomas and Jennifer Chibnall, spoke at the National Park planning committee meeting earlier in March 2020 against a proposal to build large glass and timber clad tower houses on this site which was allocated in the Lewes Neighbourhood Plan to meet local housing need. The National Park planning officers
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Design Consultation: new development of 226 homes at Old Malling Farm Lewes
Local Lewes councillors and the Friends of the South Downs (South Downs Society) called on the developer to reduce the over provision of parking for each property on the site but called for on street parking restrictions to prevent commuter parking causing problems for the new householders. There is already local concern as nearby is
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How do we stop bad planning??
Help need to keep a watch on planning applications! ……………………………….. Our Society were keen campaigners for the creation of the South Downs National Park which came into being in 10 years ago. The new National Park designation theoretically provides the highest planning protection. However, having this protection doesn’t mean to say our countryside is safe.