South Downs National Park

Planning

From 1 April 2011 the South Downs National Park Authority became responsible for all planning in the South Downs National Park. The Authority will deal with about 4,000 planning applications a year, making it the 8th largest planning authority in the country.

The National Park Authority has invited the 15 Local Authorities, within the National Park, to provide the day to day planning services on its behalf. All 15 Local Authorities reached an agreement during the Summer of 2010, including Winchester City Council, and a binding legal agreement was signed and completed in November 2010 committing all of the Local Authorities to work with the SDNPA towards delivering the planning service in this way.

What does this mean?

  • Each local planning authority will determine the bulk of the planning applications submitted within the National Park, under the agency agreement, and provide all the planning administration for the SDNPA. However, the SDNPA will determine most major applications, and retain overall policy control.
  • In practice it will mean that anyone wishing to make a small-scale planning application (e.g. to their home) would apply to their local planning authority, as normal.
Please note that as of Monday, 7th January 2013, the way pre-application advice is provided within the South Downs National Park is changing in order to introduce one level of service across the Park.  For more details, please click here.