PROPOSALS for Purbeck and the Jurassic Coast to gain national park designation will be considered by civic leaders this evening.

Members of Purbeck District Council (PDC) are set to discuss the scheme, which is being championed by the Dorset & East Devon National Park team.

This team submitted proposals to Natural England in 2013, and evaluations of these plans are currently being carried out by a number of Dorset councils.

Last summer, PDC heard a presentation by the Dorset & East Devon National Park team, which led to the formation of a district council policy development panel.

This panel met four times before concluding national park designation would be beneficial for the area, particularly as national parks are entirely funded by central government and resources - such as conservation, enhancement and the promotion of recreation - are ring fenced.

Meanwhile, the overall bid to create a new national park in Dorset is gaining wider support. In May the Daily Echo reported that Chideock parish councillors, the Chideock Society and Beaminster Society had all backed the proposals.

Meanwhile, a Marine Conservation Society spokesman confirmed: "The Dorset coast is rich in biodiversity, and is just as special for its important heritage and use by local populations.

"We need to make people aware of its special nature both above and below the waves.

"The Marine Conservation Society supports the proposal to grant the area national park status, and we are pleased that the proposal is being considered in anticipation of plans being taken a step forward."

It is hoped the park will cover the entire Isle of Purbeck and the Jurassic Coast from Exmouth to Poole Harbour, including the Dorset and East Devon Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

A report to PDC members from council officers says is likely Natural England will assess the proposal after August 2018. If it meets statutory criteria, it would likely go through a formal designation process that could take between five and ten years.

The report recommends district councillors in Purbeck "note with interest the Dorset National Park proposal and the opportunities this could offer to keep Purbeck special; keep the proposals under review; and look forward to Natural England undertaking the next stage of its evaluation in 2018."

PDC will discuss the proposals tonight at Westport House, Worgret Road, from 7pm.

Visit dorsetnationalpark.com for further details.