Can You Help?

 

New request. As part of the evidence (below) we would like to present an arial film sequence of the woodland taken from above Highdown Hill across the woods and Castle Goring and onwards over the Downs. So if anyone has a plane or knows of anyone who could do this for us please contact us.

 

As many of you will know the Inspector who held the Inquiry into the setting up of a South Downs National Park, agreed it should be done but with areas important to us excluded, the woodland east of Titnore Lane Worthing being one. Thankfully though, and mainly due to all those of you who wrote to the Government minister and objected to the exclusions, the Park Inquiry is to be re-opened at 10am on Tuesday 12 February 2008 at the Chatsworth Hotel, The Steyne, Worthing.

 

Naturally Protect Our Woodland want to present evidence to that Inquiry, but to do so we will need your help. For instance, we need to convince the Inspector that his reason for excluding the woodland was misjudged - he states the land east of Titnore Lane does not have strong visual links to the wider Downs or obvious Downland characteristics like the land to the west of it. It was also stated in evidence given to the Inspector that much of the woodland was planted in the 1800's!! - and he seems to have accepted that evidence.

 

If you want to read the Inspector report in full follow this link: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/issues/landscap/natparks/sdowns/volume1.pdf the Titnore section starts at page 378 in volume 1. The section on Highdown Hill, another area we're concerned about is just before. There's more including maps at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/issues/landscap/natparks/sdowns/index.htm

 

So what evidence do we need? Well for starters we have a map of the Titnore area dated 1879, but we do need earlier maps to prove the woodland was there pre 1800. We would also like the opinion of a landscape specialist on the views northeast from Highdown Hill to the Downs and beyond. Of course if you have any other evidence that we could use at the enquiry - or know of anyone who could help us - we would be most grateful to hear from you or them.

 

Many thanks.