Have your say on the National Park’s Local Plan Review

An eight-week consultation began earlier this week (20th) 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 is up-to-date and addresses important issues such as nature recovery, climate change, affordable housing and helping local communities thrive.

More than 40% of Brighton & Hove is in the National Park with the boundary stretching from north of Mile Oak to parts of Saltdean with Stanmer Park providing a gateway into the stunning South Downs. 

The public consultation of the Local Plan Review starts 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 plan's proposals

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.

Next steps

The National Park Authority is 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.”

How to give your views

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

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/local-plan-review

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