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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Nicholas Cecil

Jeremy Hunt ramps up campaign for Surrey Hills to be named new National Park

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt ramped up his campaign for the Surrey Hills to become a National Park after the Government announced a new one will be created.

He urged people to sign a petition for this area of southern England, within London's commuter belt, to be given the special status.

Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday the establishment of a new National Park.

Given that the most recent new one is the South Downs, created in 2010, other parts of England will no doubt stake claims for their area to be chosen.

However, Mr Hunt, was quick out the traps to make the case for the Surrey Hills.

The MP for South West Surrey tweeted: “Following all the green spaces campaigning I have been doing locally, it is great news that there will be a search for a new national park.

"Although I cannot influence the decision, I am happy to prioritise funding for the search as Chancellor

“The Surrey Hills are important to me personally as somewhere stunningly beautiful I have been enjoying my whole life. I persuaded Natural England to hold a consultation on whether to extend the boundaries of our AONB protected areas in the Surrey Hills which I hope happens.

“And as local MP I will continue my campaign to make the Surrey Hills a National Park. Do make sure to sign the petition.”

Fellow Cabinet minister Claire Coutinho, MP for East Surrey, also hailed the beauty of the Surrey Hills.

The Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary messaged: “Spending time in our natural world can do wonders for our wellbeing. In East Surrey I am blessed to have the Surrey Hills and acres of beautiful landscape on my doorstep.

“Today’s announcements from @RishiSunak will protect what we cherish for future generations.”

The Prime Minister unveiled the search for a new National Park for England and protection for urban wildlife havens and trees ahead of the Cop28 climate summit which starts in Dubai on Thursday.

The Prime Minister, who will attend the gathering, said protecting nature is at the “centre of our action to tackle climate change”.

But Labour tore into the Government’s record on the issue, claiming that under the Tories “the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world”.

The Government’s package includes the launch in the new year of the process to create a National Park, a commitment set out in the 2019 Tory manifesto, a competition for a new national forest and 34 new landscape recovery projects across England.

The schemes will cover 200,000 hectares of land, including woodlands, rainforests and sustainable food production.

Two additional community forests will be created in Derbyshire and the Tees Valley.

Conservation advisory body Natural England will consider locations for the new National Park, with the Government making the final decision next year.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay told ITV’s Good Morning Britain he wants it close to an urban area to maximise public access.

“I think one of the things we’re looking at is perhaps access to National Parks and whether it should be nearer to some urban centres, and I was talking to the chief exec of Natural England about this last night,” he said.

“So we’re very open that it’s not that the Government is going to decide where this is. There’ll be a process of consultation led by Natural England, working with Government on it, but that’s what we want to use the next year to decide.”

As part of the green package, local residents will need to be consulted before councils chop down trees in their areas.

Powers to legally demand consultations on any proposed felling were contained in the 2021 Environment Act but will now be enacted after rows over trees being cut down in cities including Plymouth and Sheffield.

The environmental push will also allocate £2.5 million to connect children with nature, and there will be £15 million to support National Parks and national landscapes.

Mr Sunak said he shared the nation’s anger at the “vandalism” of the Sycamore Gap tree felling earlier this year, adding that it fundamentally demonstrated Britons’ love for the environment.

“We must do all it takes to protect these much-loved spaces and ensure that love for the natural world continues into the next generations,” the PM said.

Greenpeace UK’s head of nature, Ariana Densham, said: “Less than a year ago, the UK Government made an international commitment to protect at least 30 per cent of the UK’s land and sea by 2030.

“With just six years to go there’s still a mountain to climb and today’s announcement barely equips us for scaling one of the foothills.”

The general secretary of the Prospect trade union, Mike Clancy, also took issue with the Government’s nature announcement.

“Bold-sounding initiatives can’t hide the true state of our rivers, shorelines and natural landscapes,” he said.

Mr Clancy also hit out at Tory funding cuts to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, adding that the department’s budget is expected to be cut by more than £500 million by the end of next year.

“Without adequate funding for the guardians of our natural environment, there is little chance the Government’s rhetoric will be able to meet its stated ambition,” he said.

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