HAMPSHIRE’S pleas to safeguard the map that played a crucial role in the build-up to D-Day have been heard, after Government agreed to amend the Grade II historic listing of Southwick House.

Hampshire County Council leader Roy Perry has welcomed the news from Historic England, which ensures the map’s crucial role in history can be protected for future generations.

There were fears the large floor-to-ceiling wall map at Southwick House, near Portsmouth, used to plan and co-ordinate the Normandy landings during the Second World War, could be removed and lost forever when the Ministry of Defence announced its intention to sell the property.

The map was not referred to in the original 1987 listing description.

Mr Perry backed pleas by Southwick and Widley Parish Council, and wrote to the Government supporting the request for a change to Southwick House’s listing. Reference to the map has now been added to the official list description.

“This is excellent news,” said Mr Perry. “It is vital that the events of D-Day are acknowledged in the listing description, and that the surviving features from this time are specifically mentioned.

“D-Day was an event of such significance for the Hampshire region, and the whole of Europe.

“We trust this amendment now gives the map further protection and prevents any risk of it being separated from the house.”

Allied commanders led by General Eisenhower used the plywood map at Southwick House to plan and co-ordinate the Normandy landings, which were a crucial turning point during the Second World War. More than 70 years later, the map set to 0630 hours, D-Day H-Hour, 6 June 1944, has remained unchanged.