CAMPAIGNERS who wish to see Liss and Petersfield within the proposed South Downs National Park met last week as part of a fact-finding mission. Members from several bodies gathered at Liss Forest last Thursday, with Sir Martin Doughty, chaiman of Natural England, exploring the western Weald while gauging local opinion. Both Alan Hookway, resident of Liss Forest and fierce opponent of proposals, and Margaret Paren, vice-chairman of the South Downs Campaign, were on hand to show Sir Martin first hand the strength of feeling and beauty of the land under threat. "More than 2,000 representations were made on a recent consultation, and there are an awful lot of people angry about the exclusion of the western Weald," said Mrs Paren. As part of a tour across the area, Sir Martin met campaigners before remarking: "We are calling on Government to approve a designation of the South Downs National Park which includes the rolling grassland and sandstone forests of the western Weald," said Sir Martin. "The grounds for excluding the western Weald is based on of differing geology and is not consistent with already designated national parks such as the Peak District and Lake District which contain more than one landscape character." "Natural England believes the smaller boundary is the wrong decision and it is high time we awarded the South Downs the elite national park status it deserves," he added. Chris Todd, campaign officer for the South Downs Campaign, remarked: "We are here to show Sir Martin around to show what a fantastic place this is, and why we don't think there's any argument why it shouldn't form part of the South Downs National Park." "I've been to the New Forest and they've designated that a National Park. But when I come here, this is much more dynamic and interesting than the New Forest, and if that is a national park then this should be too."
