New planning guidance published

New planning guidance published

July 14, 2020

The SDNPA has published new planning guidance to support the implementation of the policies in the South Downs Local Plan (SDLP).  The Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and the Extensions and Replacement Dwellings Technical Advice Note (TAN) have been produced to guide applicants and decision-makers in interpreting specific policies of the SDLP.

The Affordable Housing SPD provides guidance on the implementation of Policy SD28: Affordable Homes and Policy SD29: Rural Exception Sites.    The SPD supports the objective of the Local Plan to protect and provide for the social and economic wellbeing of National Park communities, specifically through the provision of affordable homes.  As the SPD emphasises, planning proposals should start from the position that the provision of affordable homes is paramount.  The SPD covers a number of detailed matters including: local connections; financial contributions in lieu of on-site provision; and vacant building credit.

The SPD was adopted by Planning Committee on the 9th July following two rounds of consultation (Sept 2019 & March 2020).  Having adopted the SPD, it is a material consideration for relevant planning applications.

The Extension and Replacement Dwellings TAN has been produced to guide applicants and decision-makers in interpreting Policies SD30: Replacement Dwellings and SD31: Extensions to existing dwellings, and provision of annexes and outbuildings of the South Downs Local Plan (SDLP).

It replaces the previous iterations of this document published in 2019 just after the adoption of the SDLP. It has been updated in response to the experience of case officers working with relevant planning applications and in light of various appeal decisions over the past year.

The TAN starts out by explaining the dual purposes of these policies namely to reduce the loss of small and medium sized homes in the National Park either through replacement or extension to avoid an adverse visual impact on the landscape of the National Park. These purposes are set out in a simple flow chart to clarify the decision making process in relation to these two policies.

The TAN is a material consideration that will be taken into account by decision makers at the Authority when determining planning applications for replacement dwellings and extensions.