Basingstoke MP, Maria Miller, welcomed Borough Council support for making Old Down a Local Nature Reserve (LNR).
Maria said: “Earlier this year, I led a petition which was supported by over 2,000 Basingstoke residents, to request that the Borough Council officially designate Old Down a Local Nature Reserve. This culminated in presenting the petition to the final Full Council meeting before the Local Elections.
"I am pleased to update supporters of the campaign with the further progress that is being made. At May's Full Council meeting, a motion to this effect was put forward by Cllr Samir Kotecha, and it has been adopted with unanimous, cross-party support.
"The motion will now be taken up by the Cabinet at their next meeting on 5 July, and I will continue to urge my colleagues in Local Government to press ahead with the LNR designation, so as to properly protect this much loved area of nature.”