A team of PeCAN volunteers is currently reviewing and preparing comments on key parts of the SDNPA’s new draft Local Plan, which have been published as part of a public consultation. The public have been invited to comment. The deadline is 17thMarch 2025.
Local plans identify where future development will take place, such as new homes and locations for business growth, as well as local requirements (policies) against which planning applications will be judged.
Local Plans are required to be reviewed every five years. The National Park report that many aspects of the existing plan are working well and so will be retained, but new evidence and alternations to national policy will result in changes.
In 2025, it seems ludicrous that all over Hampshire and the South Downs, new homes are still being built with gas boilers. These brand-new houses will pump out greenhouse gases and cost their new owners thousands of pounds to retrofit. So, it is very good news that SDNPA’s new draft Local Plan wants any new homes to be built with high standards of energy efficiency and heated without the on-site use of fossil fuels. It is up to residents now to show support for the policy and help make it a reality.
There are two parts to the consultation. Firstly, updated policy statements, which cover homes, nature recovery, landscape, climate change, transport (mostly in relation to new homes), protecting the water environment etc. The second part contains proposed new sites for development throughout the National Park, including 27 in East Hampshire, of which nine are in Petersfield or Sheet.
To be considered relevant, comments must be framed in the wider public interest rather than personal interest (e.g. perceived loss of value to someone’s home). All comments are considered, the more specific and well supported the better. If you have some relevant evidence to support parts of the policies that you like, or to support your comments, then the National Park would particularly like to hear from you. Remember that developers will also be making detailed comments, so it is important that residents make their voices heard too.
PeCAN volunteers are currently reviewing the draft Local Plan and will share their comments soon. So far, we think the draft contains many strong policies concerning climate, nature, and active travel and we hope to see these adopted, although there are still some possible omissions and anomalies in other areas.
The consultation can be viewed here
https://sdnpalocalplanreview.commonplace.is
