Parish and Village Design Statements

Parish and Village Design Statements

The South Downs Local Plan (adopted July 2019) sets out a landscape-led approach to development and includes Policy SD4 (Landscape Character) and Policy SD5 (Design) amongst others.  The purpose of these policies is to conserve and enhance the landscape character of the National Park, and to ensure that development is of the highest possible design quality within the National Park.

The South Downs Design Guide SPD sets out general design principles to support the implementation of Policy SD5 (Design) across the whole of the National Park.

A Parish or Village Design Statement can build on Policy SD4, Policy SD5, and the South Downs Design Guide SPD to provide local guidance for future changes in a parish or village.

This can be achieved by:

• Carrying out an analysis of the local landscape character, design and special qualities of a parish or village; and
• Using this analysis to prepare and inform design guidelines to help guide future development to conserve or enhance the local landscape character, design, and special qualities of a parish or village.

The SDNPA has adopted 11 Parish and Village Design Statements (P/VDS) as Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) – see list below.  These SPDs will continue to carry weight in planning decisions.

However, following changes to legislation coming into force in March 2026, the SDNPA will no longer be able to amend any existing, or adopt any new, Parish and Village Design Statements as SPDs. This means that any bodies wishing to amend or prepare a Parish or Village Design Statement may still continue to do so, but with the understanding that the Parish or Village Design Statement:

• Will not be adopted by the SDNPA as an SPD; and
• Will only have limited weight in the determination of planning-applications.

For further information, please contact neighbourhood@southdowns.gov.uk

Buriton

• Buriton Village Design Statement
• Buriton VDS – Adoption Statement
• Buriton VDS – Appendices

Clapham

• Clapham Parish Design Statement
• Clapham Parish – Adoption Statement
• Clapham Parish – Appendices

Easebourne

• Easebourne Parish Design Statement
• Easebourne Parish – Adoption Statement

East Dean and Friston

• East Dean and Friston Village Design Statement
• East Dean and Friston VDS – Adoption Statement

Hambledon

• Hambledon Village Design Statement
• Hambledon VDS – Adoption Statement 

Liss

• Liss Village Design Statement
• Liss VDS – Adoption Statement

Lodsworth

• Lodsworth Parish Design Statement
• Lodsworth VDS – Adoption Statement

Selborne

• Selborne Village Design Statement
• Selborne VDS – Adoption Statement
• Selborne VDS – Appendix 1
• Selborne VDS – Appendix 3

Swanmore

• Swanmore Village Design Statement
• Swanmore VDS Adoption Statement

Upham

• Upham Village Design Statement
• Upham VDS – Adoption Statement
• Upham VDS – Appendices

Worldham

• Worldham Village Design Statement
• Worldham VDS – Adoption Statement

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