The chairman of the South Downs National Park Authority has said that its land should not be used by travellers.
Her comments were welcomed by two members of Brighton and Hove City Council who have been urging the authority to evict an illegal camp in their ward.
Councillor Ann Norman and her husband Councillor Ken Norman wrote to national park authority chairman Margaret Paren after an illegal camp was established at 19 Acres.
The site, off Devil’s Dyke Road, next to a roundabout beside the A27 Brighton Bypass, is in the national park and in the Withdean ward served by the two Conservative councillors.
Mrs Paren said in a letter to the two councillors: “The purpose of the South Downs National Park Authority is to conserve and enhance the wildlife, natural beauty and cultural heritage of the national park, and to promote the enjoyment and understanding of the national park’s special qualities.
“The occupation of 19 Acres by travellers is clearly in contradiction to these purposes.”
The Normans welcomed the statement. Councillor Ann Norman said: “I am pleased with Margaret Paren’s response to our letter.
“The inference of what she says is quite clear – that areas like 19 Acres, which sit within the national park, should not be used by the council as sites for travellers.”
Tolerated
The Normans said that 19 Acres was being treated as a “tolerated” site for travellers by the council’s Green administration.
They said that the decision had resulted in serious damage being caused to this important downland location.
At the height of the encampment, they said, more than 50 lived-in vehicles were on the site as well as associated cars and vans.
They added that possession proceedings had now finally been initiated by the council to force the remaining travellers to leave the site.
Mrs Paren confirmed that the national park authority would be monitoring the situation to “ensure that the matter is concluded as quickly as possible”.
Councillor Ken Norman said: “I am frankly appalled by the damage to nature and wildlife that has been caused by the Greens’ decision to use 19 Acres as a traveller site.
“It was done without any consultation with us as ward councillors or, more importantly, with local residents and other users of the site.
“I call on them now to heed Margaret Paren’s words and ensure that our precious downland is no longer used as a campsite, temporary or otherwise.”
The creation of the South Downs National Park was not without a wider purpose. Alongside conservation of natural wild space was surely the need to curtail urban sprawl and everything that comes with it.
Use of that land for housing, permanent or for ‘travellers’ would require digging into it to provide services like water, electricity, cabling of all kinds and sewers. Infrastructure.
Well done the Normans for getting this clarification from the Park Authority Chairman.
thousands of people turned up for a discussion of the possibility of happy valley park in woodingdean to be considered as an for a traveller site – this area is within the south downs and is an area of [SNCI]
This is also the only recreation area within the village of woodingdean and the taxpayers have just funded £ 50-000 on a new adventure park for local residentsto use
ohh wow the traveling community are back in brighton Wild Park in Moulsecoomb i wonder if it was money issues that mean that little preventative bump hump along Wild Park in Moulsecoomb , its going to cost the council a lot more now to remove them / clear up after the travelers have gone .. the official at horsdean site has how many travelers in there as of 3 pm sunday 9 March …. TWO
ohh tehy have moved to Stanmer park .. such a pity ,,seeing them defecate in Wild park was an event i never thought i would witness in 2014 most caravans i hope have toilets WHERE willthey empty them at Stanmer park ?