The Dorset National Park Team congratulates all those successful in the local elections. We look forward to working with the Dorset Council and communities to secure Dorset’s long-overdue National Park, a designation that would keep our environment special and help our communities and economy to be thriving, successful and sustainable.
Dorset’s environment and heritage are loved by the people of Dorset: 94% of Dorset residents say a high-quality natural environment is of great importance to them. (State of Dorset 2015, Dorset County Council.) Our environment is also our greatest economic asset. (2016 report for Dorset County Council.)
A National Park would be a close and supportive partner for the Dorset Council and our communities, working on a shared agenda to benefit all of Dorset. It would bring additional resources which can support key services, including seamless local planning through a shared planning team, affordable homes for local people, rural transport and public health. It could be a delivery arm for the Dorset Council on the environment, heritage and tourism management and bring central government funding for this work. Being core funded by central Government, a National Park would free up Dorset Council resources for other pressing priorities. The South Downs NP, in its first 5 years, secured over £100m of core and project funding for its area, invested through partners – councils, communities, societies, businesses, farmers and landowners. National Parks are run by local people and benefit their local communities.
The National Park website www.dorsetnationalpark.com features:
Our latest Newsletter;
Our submission to the government-appointed Glover Review which includes a Prospectus setting out how we see a National Park operating for the benefit of all of Dorset:
Independent reports on the benefits and opportunities that a National Park would offer Dorset’s economy and businesses, and on how farmers and land managers in the South Downs benefit from that National Park:
Evidence of the wide-ranging support for the National Park proposal by communities, councils, societies, businesses and key individuals. The proposal has cross party and cross county support. A recent meeting of the Dorchester Civic Society was followed by the Dorset Echo’s front-page heading: “Audience hears of major economic benefits as county chases prestigious status”.
We hope that the Dorset Council will support the proposal for a Dorset National Park and encourage the Government’s Glover Review to support it and prioritise further assessment. If councillors have questions or would like a discussion on this great opportunity for Dorset, please contact us: info@dorsetnationalpark.com
Dorset National Park Team