East Sussex
A county on the South East coast of England, featuring the South Downs, the iconic white cliffs of Beachy Head, and the historic town of Lewes.
Planning Permission in East Sussex
Planning permission in East Sussex is administered across five planning authorities: Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council (operating a joint service), Rother District Council, Wealden District Council, Hastings Borough Council, and the South Downs National Park Authority for land within the national park.
Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council's joint planning service covers a combined administrative area that includes the market town of Lewes, the seaside resort of Eastbourne and their rural hinterlands. The Lewes Joint Core Strategy (2016) and Lewes District Local Plan Part 2 are the primary policy documents for the Lewes area, while Eastbourne's Core Strategy and Development Management Plan govern the Eastbourne area. Both plans are currently being reviewed as part of a new joint Local Plan for the combined area.
Wealden District Council covers the largest district area in East Sussex, encompassing the High Weald, the northern slopes of the South Downs and market towns including Heathfield, Crowborough and Hailsham. The Wealden Local Plan is currently under review, and the council is preparing a new Local Plan that will supersede the existing adopted documents. Wealden's planning environment is dominated by the High Weald AONB, and the council's design policies reflect the distinctive character of the Weald landscape. The High Weald AONB Building Design Guide is a material consideration for all planning applications within the AONB.
Community Infrastructure Levy arrangements in East Sussex vary by authority. Wealden District Council has an adopted CIL charging schedule, as does Eastbourne Borough Council and Lewes District Council. Rother District Council and Hastings Borough Council may operate different development contribution arrangements. All authorities offering CIL provide the self-build exemption for qualifying applicants who intend to occupy the completed home as their principal residence for at least three years.
The South Downs National Park Authority's planning service is accessed through the authority's planning portal, separate from the district council portals. Applications within the national park are assessed against the South Downs Local Plan. Policy SD45 (Custom and Self Build Housing) addresses self-build within the national park, recognising the contribution that self-build can make to the delivery of locally affordable homes. The national park authority's pre-application advice service is strongly recommended before incurring design costs, given the complex policy environment.
Validation requirements across East Sussex planning authorities are broadly consistent but vary in detail. Core requirements include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement, and the statutory planning fee. Site-specific additional documents include a heritage impact assessment for sites near listed buildings or in conservation areas (particularly important in Rye, Lewes and Battle), an ecological survey for sites in the High Weald AONB where protected habitats and species are likely, and a flood risk assessment for sites in flood-prone river valleys or coastal areas.
Pre-application advice is available from all East Sussex planning authorities and is strongly recommended given the complexity of the county's planning environment. The South Downs National Park Authority and Wealden District Council are particularly recommended for early engagement given the strength of landscape and AONB policies in their areas.
Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council's joint planning service covers a combined administrative area that includes the market town of Lewes, the seaside resort of Eastbourne and their rural hinterlands. The Lewes Joint Core Strategy (2016) and Lewes District Local Plan Part 2 are the primary policy documents for the Lewes area, while Eastbourne's Core Strategy and Development Management Plan govern the Eastbourne area. Both plans are currently being reviewed as part of a new joint Local Plan for the combined area.
Wealden District Council covers the largest district area in East Sussex, encompassing the High Weald, the northern slopes of the South Downs and market towns including Heathfield, Crowborough and Hailsham. The Wealden Local Plan is currently under review, and the council is preparing a new Local Plan that will supersede the existing adopted documents. Wealden's planning environment is dominated by the High Weald AONB, and the council's design policies reflect the distinctive character of the Weald landscape. The High Weald AONB Building Design Guide is a material consideration for all planning applications within the AONB.
Community Infrastructure Levy arrangements in East Sussex vary by authority. Wealden District Council has an adopted CIL charging schedule, as does Eastbourne Borough Council and Lewes District Council. Rother District Council and Hastings Borough Council may operate different development contribution arrangements. All authorities offering CIL provide the self-build exemption for qualifying applicants who intend to occupy the completed home as their principal residence for at least three years.
The South Downs National Park Authority's planning service is accessed through the authority's planning portal, separate from the district council portals. Applications within the national park are assessed against the South Downs Local Plan. Policy SD45 (Custom and Self Build Housing) addresses self-build within the national park, recognising the contribution that self-build can make to the delivery of locally affordable homes. The national park authority's pre-application advice service is strongly recommended before incurring design costs, given the complex policy environment.
Validation requirements across East Sussex planning authorities are broadly consistent but vary in detail. Core requirements include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement, and the statutory planning fee. Site-specific additional documents include a heritage impact assessment for sites near listed buildings or in conservation areas (particularly important in Rye, Lewes and Battle), an ecological survey for sites in the High Weald AONB where protected habitats and species are likely, and a flood risk assessment for sites in flood-prone river valleys or coastal areas.
Pre-application advice is available from all East Sussex planning authorities and is strongly recommended given the complexity of the county's planning environment. The South Downs National Park Authority and Wealden District Council are particularly recommended for early engagement given the strength of landscape and AONB policies in their areas.
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