The Sussex And The City Podcast

– Episode #45

Where Does A National Park Fit Into Devolution?

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Vanessa Rowlands – Chair, South Downs National Park Authority; Chair, National Parks England

🔍 Episode summary

The South Downs National Park is one of Sussex's core systems for water, climate resilience, biodiversity, tourism, farming, health and long-term prosperity.

Richard Freeman speaks with Vanessa Rowlands, Chair of the South Downs National Park Authority and Chair of National Parks England, about where protected landscapes fit into devolution. As Sussex prepares for new regional governance, the conversation asks whether a future mayor can genuinely plan for growth without understanding land, water and nature.

The South Downs is unusual. It stretches across Hampshire and Sussex, includes large market towns such as Lewes, Petersfield, Petworth and Midhurst, and works across multiple council boundaries. Can Sussex think strategically about the systems that do not fit neatly inside administrative lines?

The conversation explores planning, farming, chalk aquifers, tourism, nature recovery, renewable energy, flooding, rural businesses and the need to stop treating environment and economy as separate conversations.

This episode is brought to you in partnership with EQ Investors.

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🎯 In this episode

What the South Downs National Park Authority actually does Why national parks are more than conservation bodies How the South Downs fits into Sussex devolution Why water security could become a defining issue for Sussex The role of chalk aquifers, wetlands and sustainable land management How nature recovery and economic growth can support each other Why protected landscapes should be seen as infrastructure What tourism growth could mean for Eastbourne, Lewes and the wider park How farming, food supply chains and rural businesses fit into the devolution debate What a future Sussex mayor needs to understand about land, climate and place

🧠 Key themes

The National Park is infrastructure, not backdrop. It supports water supply, flood mitigation, biodiversity, tourism and public wellbeing.

Growth depends on environmental capacity. Housing, business expansion and tourism all rely on land, water, energy and climate resilience.

Devolution could overlook bodies that already think strategically. The South Downs National Park Authority works across boundaries, but protected landscapes need a clearer role in emerging regional structures.

Water is the hidden strategic issue. Flooding, drought, aquifers, wastewater and soil health may become as politically important as housing and transport.

The countryside is economically active. Farming, tourism, green finance, rural businesses and cultural assets are part of the real economy, not an add-on.

Sussex needs a better story about itself. The region's rural, coastal, urban and cultural assets need to be joined up into a clearer proposition.

💬 What Vanessa says

"These countryside protected landscapes aren't just passive places. They are critical pieces of national infrastructure."

"How can we be good neighbours for everybody else?"

"We've got to start creating this story about Sussex and drawing people into it."

"Everything we do across any national park can always be related to water."

"Nature is our business."

🎧 Production credits

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Vanessa Rowlands Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue

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