Planning Updates

The Friends of the South Downs is concerned about the proposed replacement bridge at Exceat in the Cuckmere Valley. This letter to the South Downs National Park Authority explains those… Read more: Proposed Exceat Bridge Replacement

We have been passed an early consultation on improvements to the A259 South Coast Corridor. We are concerned these may increase traffic on the A259 impacting the coastal towns along… Read more: The A259 South Coast Corridor

An organisation has applied for planning permission in the South Downs National Park between Alton and Bordon. This planning application concerns a site off the B3004 in the parish of… Read more: Planning Update for Hampshire Festival

Towards the end of 2019 the Government consulted on Changes to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations. This consultation set out the Government plans for the Future… Read more: Proposed new building regulations not ambitious enough in reducing CO2 emissions!

Our volunteer District Officers (DOs), Liz Thomas and Jennifer Chibnall, spoke at the National Park planning committee meeting earlier in March 2020 against a proposal to build large glass and… Read more: ‘Dreadful’ design for former Auction Rooms in Garden Street, Lewes with no affordable homes

Local Lewes councillors and the Friends of the South Downs (South Downs Society) called on the developer to reduce the over provision of parking for each property on the site… Read more: Design Consultation: new development of 226 homes at Old Malling Farm Lewes

Help need to keep a watch on planning applications! ……………………………….. Our Society were keen campaigners for the creation of the South Downs National Park which came into being in 10… Read more: How do we stop bad planning??

Iford Shoot Appeal Hearing The battle to protect the South Downs by local communities against the expansion of commercial shooting on the Downs near Lewes took another turn last month.… Read more: Appeal against enforcement by shooting organisation at Iford near Lewes

Our Society has always supported the principle of development for housing on the former ICI brownfield industrial site (more recently called Syngenta) just outside the village of Fernhurst, north of… Read more: 210 homes development given the go-ahead at the former Syngenta site, Henley Old Road, Fernhurst

At the SDNPA Planning Committee meeting in March 2020. There was much criticism of this scheme from the members of the Planning Committee and it was unanimously rejected by them,… Read more: Countryside development up a narrow lane rejected at Selborne Road, Newton Valence, Alton

The average household in the UK emits 2.7 tonnes of CO2 every year from heating their home. The Government’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has identified the need to reduce… Read more: What have Building Regulations got to do with climate change?

Is the relaxation of Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) the right way forward to support the deployment of 5G and extend mobile networks? Report by Friends of the South Downs Policy… Read more: Taller Mobile Phone Masts?

In November last year our East Sussex district officer team visited Swanborough Manor in East Sussex. We all agreed it was very interesting to look around and inside this unique… Read more: Threat to the Landscape Setting of Historic Buildings

Development have been underway for some time in the conservation area at Greatham near Pulborough in West Sussex. Last year the developer made a planning appeal against a refusal relating… Read more: Planning Appeal at Greatham in the National Park turned down!

The current consultation is now finished. Click below to  read our comments sent last week to Highways England: SDS Response to HE A27 Arundel By-pass proposals 22-10-2019 RevB. Also HERE… Read more: A27 Arundel by-pass what happens next?