The South Downs National Park authority have announced that following their recent consultation, the Supplementary Planning Document known as ‘The Design Guide’ was adopted on 18th July 2022 to support the development plan.
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) are documents that build upon and provide more detailed advice or guidance on policies in an adopted plan, but do not form part of the development plan and cannot introduce new policy. They are however a material consideration in the determination of planning applications, making them important documents to consider when approaching new development.
The Design Guide provides guidance on a range of design issues that are relevant to new development including layout, character, scale, extensions and materials. The SPD will ensure that development is of a high standard design that reflects the character of development in the surrounding area, so that it will not appear to be out of place or intrusive. It also provides guidance on protecting the residential amenities of the occupants of dwellings in the area.
If you have a project within the South Downs National Park, or elsewhere that may be subject to a Design Guide or other SPD, we would love to have a chat to discuss your project and help you moving forward.
