South Downs Settlement Context Study
The Settlement Context Study provides a strategic overview of the landscape context of the settlements in the National Park and supports the spatial portrait set out in the South Downs Local Plan. Achieving sustainable development in the National Park requires a detailed knowledge and understanding of settlements, their history, local character and features in order to successfully design and integrate new development within the existing fabric of our towns and villages. The settlement context study maps will assist with research and baseline information from which more detailed site based investigations can be developed
The maps and analysis drawings produced by the study can also be used to help with identifying constraints and opportunities in relation to proposed development, particularly with reference to green infrastructure planning principles and the Natural Environment White Paper. This should enable proposed development to be proactively designed to achieve greater connectivity and provision for biodiversity and habitats, open spaces and walking, cycling and equestrian access, whilst also seeking to maximize multiple benefits to ecosystem services as set out in the SDNP Local Plan
A report has been prepared to explain the methodology for the study:
Settlement Context Study Report and User Guide and Appendix 1 & 2
Appendix 3: Baseline Maps by settlement
The information from the baseline maps was condensed and used to create a series of simplified analysis drawings for each of the settlements. These are available to download as pdfs from the link below:
Appendix 4: Settlement context analysis drawings by settlement
Individual photographs of the views identified in the analysis drawings are available as jpegs on request by emailing the planning policy team on: planningpolicy@southdowns.gov.uk. SDNPA will require payment for costs incurred for requests for large amounts of data which cannot be reasonably sent by email