Have your say on South Downs National Park’s Local Plan Review

Have your say on South Downs National Park’s Local Plan Review

January 14, 2025

An eight-week consultation begins this month as the National Park invites people to have their say on how and where development takes place.

The award-winning South Downs Local Plan is being reviewed to ensure it’s up-to-date and addresses important issues such as nature recovery, climate change, affordable housing and helping local communities thrive.

The public consultation of the Local Plan Review starts on 20 January and will run until 17 March. This is the main opportunity for people to help shape the final Plan, so the National Park is encouraging the public to get involved.

Local Plans set out where future development will take place, such as new homes and locations for business growth, as well as key policies, such as protecting nature and heritage, against which future planning applications will be judged.

The National Park Authority proposes to keep much of the existing Local Plan, including the emphasis on landscape-led, which means that the nationally-designated landscape is considered in every planning decision. The Local Plan will continue to prioritise the provision of clean air, water, dark skies and food and a medium level of growth spread across the towns and villages of the UK’s youngest National Park.

The Local Plan Review document contains:

• An introductory chapter explaining the purpose of the Local Plan Review and what the consultation will cover.
• The vision and objectives for the Local Plan Review.
• 55 existing policies that have been updated, as well as 10 new, thematic policies. Changes include strengthening climate, nature and green infrastructure policies, greater protection for water resources, and more policies around viticulture and regenerative tourism given their importance for the South Downs economy.
• 28 existing Local Plan site allocations that have not yet been implemented and will be carried over into the Local Plan Review, some with changes to wording or site areas.
• 48 new proposed site allocations across Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex.
• Settlement maps showing existing Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plan allocations, alongside the proposed new ones.

The National Park Authority is now inviting comments from local communities, stakeholders and the development sector.  This feedback will then help shape the next version of the Local Plan, which will be published in 2026 ahead of its submission for examination by an independent Inspector.  Once the new Local Plan is adopted in 2027, it will be used to help decide all planning applications in the National Park.

Tim Slaney, Director at the National Park Authority, said: “Planning is the beating heart of the National Park, deciding where development takes place and how we conserve and enhance its amazing landscape, wildlife and heritage.

“This is not an entirely new Local Plan and we would like to keep many of the existing policies that are working well. We need to ensure the Plan remains up-to-date and delivers on our priorities of nature recovery, climate action and a ‘National Park for All’. As part of the review, we will also be incorporating policies around the future of Shoreham Cement Works.

“The Local Plan Review is still in its early stages and no decisions have been made. This consultation is a really key opportunity for people to influence what happens next and we’re looking forward to hearing people’s comments.”

Responses to the consultation can be made in the following ways:

• Online: Using the consultation platform to view and give feedback on the draft revised Local Plan at https://sdnpalocalplanreview.commonplace.is/
• Email: planningpolicy@southdowns.gov.uk
• In writing: Planning Policy Team, South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH

You can also find out more at one of the Local Plan Review drop-in events at:

• Midhurst – Wednesday, 22 January between 6.30pm and 8.30pm at the South Downs Centre Memorial Hall, North Street, GU29 9DH
• Twyford – Saturday, 25 January between 2pm and 5pm at Twyford Village Hall, Hazeley Road, Twyford, Winchester SO21 1QY
• Amberley – Tuesday, 28 January between 3.30pm and 7.30pm. Amberley Church Hall, St Michael’s Amberley, Church Street, Amberley, Arundel BN18 9ND.
• Petersfield – Wednesday, 29 January between 6.30pm and 8.30pm at Festival Hall, Heath Road, GU31 4EA
• Liphook – Saturday, 1 February between 2pm and 5pm at Liphook Church Hall, Liphook Church, Church Rd, Liphook, GU30 7SQ.
• Lewes – Wednesday, 5 February between 6.30pm and 8.30pm at Lewes Town Hall, High Street, BN7 2QS and Saturday, 15 February 1.30-4pm at Cliffe Hall, 28 Cliffe High Street, BN7 2AH
• Petworth – Wednesday, 12 February between 3.30pm and 7.30pm at Leconfield Hall, Market Square, Petworth, GU28 0AH.

A recorded virtual webinar will be made available online to explain the review and how people can get involved.

The National Park will also be engaging with young people, farmers, parish councils, planning agents and infrastructure providers such as health, water, sewerage and electricity suppliers to make sure that the final Local Plan takes all of these perspectives and issues into account.

The web hub for the Local Plan Review can be accessed here: www.southdowns.gov.uk/planning-policy/the-south-downs-local-plan-review/

• This is a Draft Local Plan on which the Authority is seeking views. It will be subject to revisions as the Authority moves through the process. However, at present the Plan would provide approximately 4,500 new homes to 2042.
• The proposed new allocated sites were identified through the Land Availability Assessment 2024 (Provisional Findings) which reviewed around 800 sites across the National Park. Comments on these proposed sites are sought from statutory consultees, the community and the development sector to inform the next version of the Plan. Additional site suggestions are also welcomed.
• The current Local Plan is available here: southdowns.gov.uk/planning-policy/south-downs-local-plan/local-plan/
• The South Downs National Park has one of the most unique built environments within a protected landscape in the UK. As Britain’s most populated National Park with over 113,000 residents, it spans 15 different local authority areas across three counties and has four bustling market towns. It boasts 167 conservation areas – more than any other National Park in the UK – as well as 18 distinctive landscape types, over 1,000 designated spaces for wildlife and well over 5,800 listed buildings. Dealing with around 5,000 planning cases a year, the National Park is one of the country’s top 30 busiest Planning Authorities.