ALTON Town Council has got the ball rolling on deciding whether or not to apply for inclusion in the South Downs National Park.

A submission is to be drawn up by the town clerk Steve Parkinson for perusal by council members. It will then be decided whether or not this submission should be put forward to the Countryside Agency.

Mr Parkinson outlined his plans for the submission. He said: "We need to look at other national parks such as the Norfolk Broads, the Peak District and the Lake District, and see how other national park authorities work.

"We need to fully understand what changes inclusion might mean. We now have to prepare a submission that makes a case for why Alton will be of benefit to the National Park, rather than why the National Park will be beneficial to Alton."

Before the council voted on the proposal at their meeting last week, mayor David Willoughby asked members to consider what they saw the future of Alton to be.

The vote carried was, that on balance, the interests of Alton would be best served by inclusion in the South Downs National Park. Three councillors voted in favour, none against, and four abstained.

Alton Society representative Tom Arnott addressed the council saying: "We, the Alton Society, believe that the town interests will be best served by the South Downs National Park. We are a small, attractive market town, largely unspoilt by 20th century life, surround by beautiful countryside.

"There will be two functions of the park: conservation and recreation. It will be different to the National Parks that have gone before it. It will be a park for the 21st century, in terms of its size, its population and its bio-diversity.

"The area needs protection, and a National Park can achieve this, so the Alton Society would like the town council's support.

"The premise should be conservation, not planning. The National Park will not mean no building, but it will mean that there will be more difficulty in getting big developments approved.

"Do we want Alton to become another Horsham and grow out of all control, or do we want Alton to be allowed to grow naturally and organically?

Councillor Paddy Mendham commented: "We don't want to be the town on the edge of the park where all the houses are built because they can't build any inside."

Assistant town clerk Greg Burt commented: "We have been assured that it will not be a 'traditional' National Park. There will, be scope for local democracy and local participation."

The Countryside Agency will meet in late September to propose a first draft of the boundary plans, by which time Alton's submission, if it is approved by councillors, must have been received.