BRAMSHOTT and Liphook parish councillors are pressing the Countryside Agency to include the parish in the search area for the proposed South Downs National Park.

At a full meeting of the council on Monday, members agreed to continue to collect information from the CA and listen to public debates on the proposed national park.

They also agreed to post information on the park using notice boards throughout Liphook. Villagers will also be invited to make their comments on the proposals in a book at the parish office.

In addition, they agreed to a proposal from John Tough to support the campaign by the CPRE and press the Countryside Agency to include the parish of Bramshott and Liphook and the A3 corridor in the search area for the park boundaries.

Councillors also agreed to Dr Tough's proposal that the council should "express the earnest wish to the Countryside Agency that the planning in the proposed national park would devolve to the existing planning authorities."

Reporting on a meeting to discuss the proposed National Park at Penns Place, Petersfield, last week, Anna James told councillors that the Countryside Agency wanted to hear comments from villagers now.

"I suggest that everybody writes with their concerns," she told the meeting. "The comments of individuals have as much weight as groups and councillors. It is important to write individually."

Tony Rudgard told the meeting that there would be a chance for villagers to look at the national park proposals at an exhibition at the Bohunt Centre during its open day on July 15.

Members said they would produce information about the park in the community magazine and suggested drawing up a leaflet, which could be available in the library and the parish office.

The main concern of parish councillors was the threat that there could be a central planning authority for the new national park based away from East Hampshire.

Mrs James told the meeting that planners would not be accountable to people in East Hampshire if they were based away from the district.

"I have the feeling that the CA just want to forget about planning," said Mr Walters. "They want to discuss recreational areas and boundaries and sort out planning afterwards. It is very worrying for people inside the park or just outside."

He pointed out that it would require government legislation to allow individual districts to keep their planning powers.

Alan Jordan told the meeting: "Planning is a concern. My own view is that the CA has taken that on board. I don't think they envisage one central planning authority. In other respects I am fully in favour of the national park."

Mr Walters said although there would be a considerable amount of money available to develop, protect and open up land for recreation inside the park from central government and from Europe, there was a concern about new housing.

He said it was unlikely that large housing developments would be allowed inside the park.

But there was pressure from central government to find land for large numbers of new houses in the area and there could be added pressure on areas just outside the boundaries of the new national park."