Where to go for help with planning

Where to go for help with planning

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is responsible for planning across the entire National Park and has Partnership Agreements with the local authorities operating within the National Park boundaries to ensure that planning-related matters are dealt with as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Several local authorities (“host” authorities) deal with all planning questions, advice and applications in their areas on behalf of the SDNPA, whilst National Park planning officers deal with all planning questions, advice and applications for the remaining seven the local authority areas (“recovered” authorities), as well as dealing with major applications.

All planning-related enquiries need to be made to the relevant local authority, this includes enquiries for:

• Do I need planning permission?
• Pre-application advice
• Paying for planning applications
• Specialist planning advice
• Enforcement issues
• Dealing with Minerals and Waste

To find out if property or land is within the SDNP, search our interactive map.

If you do not know what your Local Authority is, use the Find your local council tool on the GOV.UK website.

The SDNPA

SDNPA planning officers deal with all planning-related matters in the following, “recovered” local authority areas:

• Arun
• Adur & Worthing
• Brighton & Hove
• Eastbourne
• Horsham (from 1 October 2024)
• Mid-Sussex
• Wealden
• Minerals & Waste planning issues for Hampshire, East Sussex & West Sussex.

The SDNPA also deals with larger, major applications from any area of the Park, which are ‘called in’ and assigned to SDNPA planning case officers.

Address: South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH
Email: planning@southdowns.gov.uk
Phone: 01730 814810

Host Authorities

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