In Pictures: South Downs landscape Ministers have announced the creation of a South Downs national park - almost 60 years to the day since it was recommended. The South Downs, covering parts of Sussex and Hampshire, was among 12 areas identified for national parks in the 1940s. Environment Minister Hilary Benn has said the area will become England's 10th national park. Further consultation will be carried out on six additions to the boundary. Defra said the national park designation order could not be confirmed until the consultation had finished and a proper decision had been made on additional areas. A statement said: "In practice, that probably means the park will not be formally created until at least the early part of 2011." The South Downs National Park is the first to be created in England since the New Forest in 2005. The move gives the area the highest level of protection under the planning system. Some people have been waiting for this for over 60 years
Chris Todd Before the announcement, Chris Todd, manager of the South Downs Campaign which has fought for national park status for the Downs since 1990, said he was confident it would be good news. "It's going to be a historic day," he said. "Some people have been waiting for this for over 60 years. We feel quite young having only campaigned for 20 years." Sandstone forests On Monday, the 60th anniversary of the introduction of laws to protect rural areas, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) urged the government to go ahead with the planned park. The exact boundary for the national park has been the subject of debate for a number of years. The planned national park was the subject of a public inquiry after changes to the boundaries were proposed. The inclusion of one part in particular, the Western Weald, lying between Petersfield and Pulborough, has divided people. The area, which is made up of grassland and sandstone forests, was not included in the original 60-year-old report because it was geographically different to the rest of the South Downs.
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The South Downs, an area of chalk downland in southern England is to gain National Park status under measures announced earlier today.
A view of the Downs as they stretch away along Southern England. 
In the announcement, Environment Secretary Hillary Benn was quoted as saying "It is fitting that in this year, the 60th anniversary of the radical legislation that gave birth to National Parks, we are celebrating an addition to the family."

The designation has not been met with approval by some. Nigel Waterson, an MP for nearby Eastbournce, alleges to Channel 4 News that "ministers have ignored the views of almost all local authorities in the area, as well as local people."

The new park and associated management is expected to be in place in two years' time.