Land Availability Assessment

The Land Availability Assessment (LAA) was published in December 2025 (Updated May 2026) and has been used to inform the Proposed Submission South Downs Local Plan which will be subject to Regulation 19 public consultation between 12 May and 23 June 2026. Any sites submitted after 31 October 2025 will not be assessed and considered further until after the above public consultation has been completed.

The Land Availability Assessment (LAA) is an essential part of the evidence base for the New South Downs Local Plan. The LAA assesses the suitability, availability, and achievability of identified sites across the South Downs National Park.

The LAA does not determine whether a site should be allocated for development. Instead, the role of the LAA is to provide information on a range of sites to help identify sites for further consideration in the New South Downs Local Plan. Subject to further technical work, it is then for the New South Downs Local Plan – or any future Neighbourhood Development Plans – to determine which sites should be allocated for future development.

The Land Availability Assessment (LAA) – and its appendices – are set out below.

• Land Availability Assessment (LAA) Covering Report (December 2025).
• LAA Appendix A – Assessment Criteria.
• LAA Appendix B – Proformas for sites assessed as “Has Potential”.
  • This excludes sites where planning permission has been implemented.
  • Appendix B(i) – Proformas for sites assessed as “Has Potential” in the Brighton & Hove and East Sussex Area of the South Downs National Park
  • Appendix B(ii) – Proformas for sites assessed as “Has Potential” in the Hampshire Area of the South Downs National Park
  • Appendix B(iii) – Proformas for sites assessed as “Has Potential” in the West Sussex Area of the South Downs National Park
• LAA Appendix C – Assessment outcomes for excluded sites.
• LAA Appendix D – Assessment outcomes for rejected sites.

Interactive Map

The sites within the LAA can be reviewed on the interactive map below.

• View the Interactive Map.

The interactive map shows sites which “have potential” in amber, sites which are “rejected” in red, and sites which are “excluded” in grey.

Using your mouse, click, hold and drag to move around the map, and scroll to zoom in or out. You can also use the +/- symbols on the top left of the map to zoom. Layers and the key can be selected and viewed on the left of the interactive map. You can search for a location by postcode in the top right. Click on the site to view its reference, name, settlement, parish, ward, district / unitary, county / unitary, and 2025 LAA recommendation. If the site “has potential”, then the interactive map will state a potential use, but if the site is “rejected” or “excluded”, then the interactive map will state the reason as to why it has been rejected or excluded.

The interactive map shows overall recommendations only. For more information on why sites have been assessed as “has potential” or have been “rejected” or “excluded” – including the landscape assessment and other information on suitability, availability and achievability – please refer to Appendices B to D (above) as appropriate.