Key achievements of South Downs National Park Authority are highlighted in new report
December 17, 2020
Provision of affordable homes, significant habitat improvements and 2km of new car-free paths are among the highlights of a new report profiling the work of the Authority.
The 2020 Authority Monitoring Report has now been published – our sixth AMR and the first to be produced since the adoption of the South Downs Local Plan in July 2019.
The AMR reveals progress on the timetables and milestones for the preparation of documents set out in the Local Development Scheme.
The AMR considers the performance of policies across the National Park and here are a number of important findings highlighted in the report:
A Thriving, Living Landscape
- For the first time in our AMR we are using the satellite data from our Earth Observation to report on land cover across the National Park
- The percentage of lowland heath in a favourable condition increased by 19 per cent over the past three years.
- The amount of chalk grassland in favourable condition increased by the equivalent of 81 football pitches last year
People Connected with Places
- 156 new camp site pitches were permitted
- 2km of car free paths were created
Towards a Sustainable Future
- A net total of 282 new homes were completed in the National Park in 2019-20 – exceeding the Local Plan annualised provision figure of 250 new homes
- Of these new homes, 62 were affordable.
- We have a 7.92 year supply of deliverable housing sites
Lucy Howard, Planning Policy Manager, said: “The AMR is definitely worth a read – it shows the breadth of the Authority’s work with our award-winning South Downs Local Plan underpinning the significant progress that has been made to make the National Park a better home for both people and nature.”
Main feature image by Linda Barker