Enhancing the natural beauty of a challenging landscape.

Although the site in its current state is deemed to be an eye-sore, that opinion is largely based on the fact that the Cement Works is an ugly building, in disrepair.

However, when you’re actuallyin the site, it is genuinely spectacular, with a real beauty that is unique to its scale and setting. From many vantage points, it has breathtaking views out into the surrounding downlands.

The sheer size of the excavation makes it completely unsuitable for standard houses. So we would enhance its unique beauty by:

1. Using the depth of the pit to enable homes to be layered, so they reduce the overall footprint of the buildings, and enable the cliffs to become features that delight, rather than disturb.
2. Acknowledging the existing landscape with appropriate modelling and planting.
3. “Showing off” the length and width of the pit by careful placement of land- scaping, architecture and view points.

Preserving and increasing the amount of woodland, water, grassland and wildlife areas.

We have designated at least six separate areas to the conservation or improvement of woodland, water, grassland and wildlife elements.

These areas include:

1. The development of an indigenous grassland environment in the area at the north-east of the site currently used as arable farm land.
2. The development of indigenous woodland in an area on the southern rim of the site.
3. The development of designated wildlife areas across the site, with the potential to leave an area at its northerly end as a specific wildlife habitat.
4. The development of water areas that encourage and conserve aquatic wildlife and vegetation.

All the above could also be developed sympathetically as visitor attractions and educational experiences.

Increase access to sustainable public and private transport.

Central to the offer from the South Down Project is its delivery of an integrated and ambitious public and private transport strategy.

We will do this by working with technical, industry, academic and commercial leaders to bring a sustainable, future-proofed transport system to the development.

We are also aware that any increase in traffic on and off the site must be minimal.

We are already engaged with a number of key suppliers, including:

1. Our Transport Partner, The Go Ahead Group, who are working with us to provide a public transport strategy that will deliver new levels of amenity to the communities around the site.
2. A number of industry leaders in the field of electric, hybrid and zero-carbon cars, including Ford, The VAG Group and BMW.
3. Policy and strategy influencers and organisations keen to work with us to create a sustainable transport exemplar.
4. Jaguar Land Rover Group.
5. Tesla Motors UK.

Creating two new hotels, with a total 300 bed capacity.

With around 46 million visitor trips per annum, and approximately £450 million being spent in the park each year by those visitors, tourism is a key element to the park’s financial viability.

Of the total number of visitors, 91% stated that they valued their visit as “important or very important” to their health and well- being. However, only 8.7% of the total number stayed overnight, and less than 25% of those actually stayed in the park itself.

The new accommodation offer would:

1. Be perfectly placed at a central position in the park.
2. Increase the number of overnight stays.
3. Encourage those who stayed, to then additionally benefit, from a wide range of leisure and cultural activities in the Park.
4. Encourage visitors to partake in ‘themed’ activities that brought groups to the Park based on their particular interests.
5. Be complimented by alternative accommodation offers such as Youth Hostel Association, Air BnB and others.

Creating a brand new, state of the art, outdoor activity centre.

The chalk pit site is a natural place for a new outdoor activity centre (OAC), and we will work closely with all the relevant local stakeholders to fulfil this opportunity.

With its already excavated topography, and with the sensitive addition of water from the two already existing on-site wells, an OAC could offer a wide range of activities limited only by demand, natural amenity and cost.

We would seek to include:

1. All reasonable water-related activities, from canoing, to boarding, to Kayaking.
2. Walking, rambling, trekking and visits to places of local interest.
3. As many activities as demand and cost will allow.

Multiple, individually themed, visitor centres, from wildlife to aquatic and grassland.

In addition to the main visitor centre already identified, we estimate that there are at least six separate areas in the site that could benefit from conservation or improvement.

Our consultants will undertake a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment, the results of which will establish exactly where each centre should be.

We see the main themes being:

1. Grassland, such as the unexcavated area in the north-east of the site.
2. Woodland, such as the section atop the cliff in the south-eastern section.
3. Wetland, distributed along the water way at appropriate points.
4. Wildlife habitat, either preserving the existing wildlife in situ, or mitigating its habitat with alternative locations.

Increase business opportunities and create permanent jobs.

If the development opportunity afforded by the Chalk Pit site is delivered by the South Down Project, the scheme could bring in £1.3bn of inward investment to the area, create over 1,500 construction jobs during its development, and then create an add- tional 4,400 employment opportunities for local people in the longer term.

To understand the potential gain for local businesses, and to illustrate the sheer scale of the regenerative possibilities, it is under- stood by the South Down Project that our development, in total, will provide an estimated £90m annually to the local economy and have an economic impact
of £1bn over ten years.

As we understand it, no other potential plan for the Chalk Pit can deliver this level of benefit in terms of the positive gain to both businesses and to permanent job opportunities.

Bring new levels of access to renewable energy supplies and super-speed broadband.

Using the resources of some of the UK’s leading experts, all of whom already have extensive experience, we will be introducing a complete off-grid solution for the new development.

Renewable energy will be created via a suite of technologies, including:

1. Geothermal ground source heat pumps.
2. Vertical wind vanes.
3. Photovoltaic panels.
4. Solar panels.
5. A Pyrolysis unit.
6. Water wheels.
7. Anaerobic Digesters.
8. Eco energy gymnasium.
9. Bio-diesel and Bio-mass.
10. Fuel Cells.

To satisfy communication requirements, digital media must be operable throughout the site, so Super Speed broadband will be integrated by leading consultants and providers.

Increase access to sustainable public and private transport.

Central to the offer from the South Down Project is its delivery of an integrated and ambitious public and private transport strategy.

We will do this by working with technical, industry, academic and commercial leaders to bring a sustainable, future-proofed transport system to the development.

We are also aware that any increase in traffic on and off the site must be minimal.

We are already engaged with a number of key suppliers, including:

1. Our Transport Partner, The Go Ahead Group, who are working with us to provide a public transport strategy that will deliver new levels of amenity to the communities around the site.
2. A number of industry leaders in the field of electric, hybrid and zero-carbon cars, including Ford, The VAG Group and BMW.
3. Policy and strategy influencers and organisations keen to work with us to create a sustainable transport exemplar.