Natural England

South Downs Way Public Inquiry - 16 February 2004

The Public Inquiry that opens in Meonstoke on 16 February could finally resolve the route of the South Downs Way National Trail near Warnford.   English Nature and the Countryside Agency will be giving evidence at the Inquiry, recommending their favoured solution to problems with the current temporary route.

The South Downs Way is one of a family of National Trails that allows extensive journeys through England's finest landscapes.   It traces the chalk escarpment of the South Downs, providing users with breathtaking views of the rolling fields and small woodlands in Hampshire and the classic open Sussex downland.   The walkers, horse riders and cyclists who share the route use it for anything from an afternoon amble to a fortnight’s trip to get away from it all.

The South Downs Way became Britain’s first national long distance bridleway when it was opened from Eastbourne to the Hampshire border in 1972.   Later, the opening of a new 161km bridleway route in 1991 extended the National Trail to Winchester.   But, 20 years after the Hampshire section was first proposed, walkers, horseriders and cyclists are still following temporary routes around Beacon Hill, west of the River Meon.

Beacon Hill is a National Nature Reserve and a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).   The dramatic landscape of the 40-hectare site includes some of the finest remaining chalk grassland on the South Downs.   These areas contain nationally important communities of attractive plants such as round-headed rampion, man orchid and field fleawort.   The reserve is also home to rare butterflies like the Duke of Burgundy and the endangered silver-spotted skipper.

Parts of the temporary routes across the Meon Valley do not meet National Trail standards, and the temporary bridleway currently includes a 2km stretch of road.   The Inquiry will consider four possible options put forward by Hampshire County Council in the vicinity of Beacon Hill.

“Two of these proposals would cause significant and permanent damage to some of the reserve’s best chalk grassland habitat,” says English Nature’s Russell Wright.   “What’s more, to restrict further damage, we may need to install additional fencing that would affect the way we manage the reserve.   This could prejudice the success of long-established grazing patterns.”

With their combined land management and recreation experience, the two agencies have united behind a sustainable alternative that will provide high quality routes for walkers, cyclists and horseriders.   This solution also minimises harm to the National Nature Reserve and the local Bronze Age round barrows.

“The idea is to split the route into two, with a footpath around the southern edge of the reserve, up to the summit of the hill and out along the existing track to Beaconhill Beeches,” says the Countryside Agency’s South East Regional Director, Duncan Mackay.   “In addition, a new bridleway would lead up Beaconhill Lane and through The Warren, mostly along farm tracks just west of Wheely Down Farm.”

The proposed bridleway around Beacon Hill is also supported by Hampshire County Council and the Joint Advisory Committee of the East Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.   It would, however, affect the interests of  some landowners, and it is the subject of objections from a number of local councils and other organisations, which advocate a bridleway route through the National Nature Reserve.

English Nature welcomes visitors to its National Nature Reserves.   A permissive path already leads from the car park at Beaconhill Beeches to the spectacular viewpoint near the summit of the hill, and the whole reserve is open to families and walkers for quiet recreation.   However, Beacon Hill is not as robust as its sister reserve at nearby Old Winchester Hill, where the breathtaking views, flower-rich grassland and impressive ancient hill fort attract over 25,000 visitors every year.

After hearing all the evidence, the Inspector is authorised to make a final decision.

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. The Public Inquiry will open at 11:00am on Monday 16 February 2004 at Meon Hall, Meonstoke.
2. English Nature is the Government agency that champions the conservation of wildlife and geology throughout England.   See www.english-nature.org.ukfor more information.
3. English Nature designates National Nature Reserves (NNRs) to protect the most important areas of wildlife habitat and geological formations in Britain.   Every NNR is nationally important and contains the best examples of a particular habitat.   At the end of March 2000 there were 200 NNRs in England covering 80,533 hectares.
4. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are designated under the Wildlife & Countryside Act to protect rare habitat, species or geology, and are officially recognised as Britain’s finest wildlife locations.   The Government has set English Nature a target to ensure that 95% of SSSIs are in good condition for their special wildlife by 2010.   Although Beacon Hill is currently in excellent health, any new route up the steep hillside would prejudice delivery of this important target.
5. The Countryside Agency, which took over the duties of the Countryside Commission in 1999, is the statutory body working to make life better for people in the countryside and to improve the quality of the countryside for everyone.   It is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs.   See www.countryside.gov.uk for more information.
6. National Trails (see www.nationaltrail.co.uk) are officially designated by the Countryside Agency.   The Sussex section of the South Downs Way was officially opened at Eastbourne on 15 July 1972, and the route was extended into Hampshire in 1991.   Despite significant efforts to find a suitable off-road route, there is one section across the Meon Valley where there is a split temporary route leaving a gap of 2kms on the west bank of the River Meon.
7. The Countryside Agency and English Nature favour Order 116, a bridleway that will accommodate all users including horse riders and cyclists, and Order 118, a footpath skirting the edge of the Nature Reserve.   Both these options minimise conflict with the nature reserve, as well as safeguarding the Bronze Age round barrows (a Scheduled Ancient Monument) on Beacon Hill.
8. For further information from the Countryside Agency, please contact press officer Mel Capper (020 7340 2909) or regional PR adviser John Rennie (07976 666969).
9. For further information from English Nature, please contact Russell Wright at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight office (023 8028 6416) or press officer Stuart Burgess (01733 455190).
10. For photographs, please contact David Foster (01962 760874) david.foster@bigfoot.com