New policies that set the course for development across one of the largest planning authority areas in England are out for consultation now the South Downs National Park Authority has published its so-called preferred options strategy. The proposed local plan for the park, covering large parts of Hampshire, East and West Sussex, seeks to put landscapes first while still serving the needs of communities and the local economy. When the plan is adopted (which is expected in 2017) it will be the first time that a single set of planning policies have been applied across the 1,600 square kilometre area of the UK’s newest national park.
Trevor Beattie, the authority’s chief executive, said: “Our landscapes are the reason the South Downs became a National Park so they must sit at the heart of every planning decision we make".
The strategy allows for 4,596 new homes (of which 1,840 would be affordable) over the next 17 years. The plan identifies 20 potential sites for new development including three strategic brownfield sites; Shoreham Cement Works in Upper Beeding, the former Syngenta site in Fernhurst and the North Street Quarter and Eastgate area of Lewes. Significant new housing development is expected with 700 homes in Petersfield (Hampshire), some 835 homes in Lewes (East Sussex) and around 150 homes in Petworth (West Sussex).