MP for the Cotswolds, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, has welcomed the appointment of a new chairman of the review of National Parks.

Julian Glover, a writer and former Special Adviser at Number 10, will lead the national review to explore how our National Parks’ system can be improved and to assess whether there is scope for an expansion of this system.

Sir Geoffrey has been a vocal advocate for designating the Cotswolds AONB as a National Park and has worked closely with the Cotswolds AONB Board Chairman and Director, Liz Eyre and Martin Lane, to promote the merits and benefit of this proposal.

The Cotswolds receives 23 million visitors a year, the third largest of any protected landscape and the same purposes, duty and governance structure as a National Park.

Sir Geoffrey, Mrs Eyre and Mr Lane visited the South Downs National Park Authority earlier this year to gather evidence and witness the parallels between the South Downs and the Cotswolds.

The MP also met with local farmers to discuss National Park status for the Cotswolds and was pleased that a consensus of agreement was formed on this issue.

Sir Geoffrey is hoping to meet Julian to discuss the matter in more detail and work with his 16 parliamentary colleagues to call for a debate on this issue.