South Downs Local Plan

SOUTH DOWNS LOCAL PLAN ADOPTED 2 JULY 2019 (2014–33) .. SOUTH DOWNS LOCAL PLAN ADOPTED 2 JULY 2019 (2014–33) South Downs National Park Authority South Downs Centre North Street Midhurst West Sussex GU29 9DH 01730 814810 © Crown copyright and database rights 2019 Ordnance Survey 100050083 Cover: Lewes. © AK Purkiss FOREWORD i FOREWORD Welcome to this, the South Downs National Park Local Plan (South Downs Local Plan). It was adopted by the National Park Authority in July 2019 and contains the policies that all planning applications should adhere to. This is the first Local Plan ever produced for the National Park: a landmark for this very special place. It looks different from most other local plans, because at its heart is the requirement to conserve and enhance the nationally important landscapes of the South Downs. But this Plan is not just about these precious, nationally important, landscapes, their wildlife and cultural heritage. It is about the wide range of benefits they provide for us all that must be nurtured and protected for future generations. It is about our communities that live and work in the National Park and their social and economic needs. I thank everyone who has helped us create this Plan and commend it to all Margaret Paren those with an interest in the South Downs National Park. Chair of South Downs National Park Authority ii SOUTH DOWNS LOCAL PLAN: ADOPTED 2 JULY 2019 (2014–33) KEY MESSAGES This is a landscape led Local Plan, for the first time looking at the South Downs the landscape within which it sits and is of a standard befitting a National Park as a whole with National Park purposes and our duty to the fore. The Plan as an exemplar of rural planning. introduces a new spatial portrait for the South Downs, which is set out opposite. A strategic approach of dispersed growth combined with a landscape capacity The Local Plan considers the geology and geography and working practices analysis within the Local Plan, to formulate policies and allocate sites is driven that have shaped the landscapes of the National Park and their influence on by a number of key factors: the evolution of settlement patterns and communities. We seek to capture the Evidence Base – studies/information such as Tranquillity Mapping, Dark principles of ‘ecosystem services’ into the making and delivery of the Local Night Skies, Transport Assessments, Ecoserve mapping to know what Plan. This approach ensures the services nature provides us (such as woodfuel, ecosystem services are available or in deficit clean water, health and well-being) from nature’s own ‘capital’ (timber, water, Evidence Base – the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment where fresh air) are factored into decision making and allocations. many parameters relate to landscape matters such as views, impact upon This thinking results in an emphasis on landscape and the nature of the the special qualities of the National Park and other statutory assessments areas as mapped out in the South Downs Integrated Landscape Character such as Habitat Regulation Assessments and Sustainability Appraisals Assessment. This has informed the evidence base, which is wide and varied Community Engagement and Feedback – particularly Neighbourhood and deliberately includes elements important to the National Park’s special Development Plans but also individual and collective meetings with qualities. parish representatives, use of a landowners network, the South Downs Allocations and policies are therefore landscape capacity led, not target Partnership and discussions with statutory agencies driven. This complies with the National Planning Policy Framework and the Officer and Member knowledge and professional insight as to what may DEFRA Vision and Circular 2010 on national parks. These documents, as be possible and what may be available. Given the range of officers Margaret Paren advises in the Foreword, do support our need to produce a involved in the Local Plan, the extensive knowledge of the National Park plan fit for the conservation and enhancement of the landscape and, in relation and the experience of Members in so many areas relevant to plan making, to housing, local affordable homes provision. this is key to sound plan making We have, in advance of the Local Plan, but using the same approach, actively We have searched thoroughly and rigorously for suitable development sites; it is promoted and assisted in over 50 Neighbourhood Development Plans, all just that in carrying out this work landscape conservation takes the primary role. incorporated into the Local Plan. This ensures evidence base, local knowledge We have a clear spatial strategy, one of dispersing a ‘medium’ level of and experience is used to fullest effect in creating a single Development Plan growth throughout communities within the National Park, rather than enabling Document over such a large area. growth just around the largest settlements. This has come from, and is broadly supported by, local communities, evidence of local need and a recognition that even the smallest communities need to live, breath and prosper over the next 15 years. We are also determined to ensure the quality of new build reflects KEY MESSAGES iii CONCEPTUAL SPATIAL DIAGRAM CONCEPTUAL SPATIAL DIAGRAM OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDING AREA KEY The Coastal Plain South Downs National Park boundary The Dip Slope South Downs Way River Valley Rail lines Railway stations 16 The Scarp Slope Rivers The Western Downs A roads The Western Weald Settlement Key settlement and hub External growth pressures Gateway Marine influence Hub ENGLISH CHANNEL iv SOUTH DOWNS LOCAL PLAN: ADOPTED 2 JULY 2019 (2014–33) Image: Cuckmere Haven. © SDNPA CONTENTS v CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 1 7G. TOWN CENTRES AND RETAIL ......................................................... 133 2. VISION AND OBJECTIVES ................................................... 12 7H. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY ........................................................ 139 3. SPATIAL PORTRAIT AND SPATIAL STRATEGY ........................ 14 7I. INFRASTRUCTURE ............................................................................. 145 4. CORE POLICIES ................................................................. 32 7J. GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................ 150 5. A THRIVING LIVING LANDSCAPE ........................................ 42 7K. CLIMATE CHANGE .......................................................................... 156 5A. LANDSCAPE ..................................................................................... 44 7L. ADVERTISEMENTS & SHOP FRONTS ................................................. 164 5B. BIODIVERSITY .................................................................................... 58 7M. POLLUTION AND CONTAMINATION .............................................. 166 5C. HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT ................................................................. 68 8. STRATEGIC SITES .............................................................. 168 5D. WATER .............................................................................................. 75 SHOREHAM CEMENT WORKS ............................................................... 172 6. PEOPLE CONNECTED TO PLACES ......................................... 82 NORTH STREET QUARTER AND ADJACENT EASTGATE AREA, LEWES ..... 177 6A. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT ................................................................ 84 9. SITES & SETTLEMENTS ...................................................... 182 6B. UNDERSTANDING AND ENJOYMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK ......... 93 10. MONITORING AND IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK ...... 262 7. TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE .................................... 98 APPENDIX 1: BROAD AREAS AND RIVER CORRIDORS ............................ 284 7A. DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................... 100 APPENDIX 2: LOCAL PLAN POLICIES SUPERSEDED BY THE SOUTH DOWNS LOCAL PLAN ........................................................ 286 7B. HOMES (STRATEGIC POLICIES) ......................................................... 106 APPENDIX 3: MARKETING REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGE 7C. AFFORDABLE HOMES ..................................................................... 113 OF USE APPLICATIONS .......................................................................... 322 7D. HOMES (DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT POLICIES) ......................... 119 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................ 326 7E. GYPSIES, TRAVELLERS AND TRAVELLING SHOW PEOPLE ................... 124 7F. EMPLOYMENT .................................................................................. 128 vi SOUTH DOWNS LOCAL PLAN: ADOPTED 2 JULY 2019 (2014–33) POLICIES CORE POLICY SD1: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 33 STRATEGIC POLICY SD19: TRANSPORT AND STRATEGIC POLICY SD33: GYPSIES, TRAVELLERS ACCESSIBILITY ..................................................... 85 CORE POLICY SD2: ECOSYSTEM SERVICES .......... 38 AND TRAVELLING SHOWPEOPLE ....................... 125 CORE POLICY SD3: MAJOR DEVELOPMENT .......... 39 STRATEGIC POLICY SD20: WALKING, CYCLING STRATEGIC POLICY SD34: SUSTAINING THE AND EQUESTRIAN ROUTES ................................. 86 LOCAL ECONOMY ............................................ 128 STRATEGIC POLICY SD4: LANDSCAPE CHARACTER 46 DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT POLICY SD21:

Load more