South Downs Local Plan
The Local Plan sets the policies against which planning applications will be considered and allocates land for a variety of uses. In April 2018 the South Downs National Park Authority submitted the first Local Plan for the whole of the South Downs National Park to the Government for examination. Once adopted, the new South Downs Local Plan will replace the existing planning policies operating across the South Downs National Park.
Informal Track Changed Version of the Local Plan
In order to keep everyone up to date with proposed changes to the South Downs Local Plan we have published an informal track changed version of the Pre-Submission document. This includes all the proposed Main Modifications and Minor Edits suggested by the SDNPA. This document reflects all changes made up until 02 November 2018. It is likely that there will be further modifications proposed after the examination. It should be noted that all the Main Modifications are draft and will be consulted on after the hearings in the new year.
Local Plan Examination
The scheduled hearings for the Local Plan examination at Midhurst and Falmer have ended. The Inspector is now considering what he has heard and will be working with the National Park Authority on Main Modifications to the Local Plan. This consultation will take place in the new year 2019.
All updated evidence and supporting documents are on pages:
- Examination Page (updated regularly)
- Core Document Library Page
Representations
- Representations Page All representations and comments made in response to the publication of the Pre-submission Local Plan
Background Papers
The following summarise the information in the technical documents.
- Landscape Background Paper (TLL01)
- Development Strategy Background Paper (TSF02)
- Neighbourhood Development Plans Background Paper (Core12)
- Ecosystem Services Background Paper (Core05)
- Affordable Housing Background Paper (TSF12)
- Housing Update Background Paper (TSF07a)
- Supply of Homes Background Paper (TSF07)
- Settlement Boundary Review Background Paper (TSF05)
- Gypsy & Traveller Background Paper (TSF14)
- Biodiversity Background Paper (TLL11)
- Transport Background Paper (PCP01)
- Sites and Settlements Background Paper (SS01)
- Open Space Sports and Recreation Background Paper (TSF40)
- Agriculture and Forestry Background Paper (TSF34)
- Employment Background Paper (TSF28)
- Sites and Settlements Route Map (SS02)
- Flooding Background Paper (SS03)
Local Plan timetable
The timetable (SDNPA Local Development Scheme Oct 2018) for the Local Plan is as follows:
| Stage | Regulation | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Options Consultation | 18 | February – April 2014 |
| Preferred Options Consultation | 18 | September – October 2015 |
| Pre-Submission Consultation | 19 | September – November 2017 |
| Submission to Secretary of State | 22 | Spring 2018 |
| Examination | 24 | ongoing |
| Adoption | 26 | Spring 2019 |
Brownfield Register and Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment
The SDNPA is required to prepare a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) to support the preparation of the Local Plan.
The Authority also maintains a brownfield land register for the whole of the National Park. Both this register and the Authority Monitoring Report were last published in December 2017.
