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The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is responsible for all planning-related matters within the National Park.
There are planning teams based in the SDNPA offices in Midhurst, and in the local authority offices at Chichester District Council, East Hampshire District Council, Lewes & Eastbourne District Council and Winchester City Council.
The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is the Local Planning Authority for all parts of the National Park. This means that even though an application sits within a local authority area, the SDNPA are still responsible for managing planning applications in that area.
Regardless of who processes an application, all applications are assessed on the requirements of the adopted South Downs Local Plan and SDNPA planning guidance.
If you are unsure whether you live in the SDNPA you can check here.
The SDNPA planning teams deal with applications across the whole of the National Park.
Four district councils (Chichester, East Hampshire, Lewes and Eastbourne, and Winchester) have permission to complete planning work on the SDNPA’s behalf and work closely with the SDNPA to deliver the Planning Service in these areas. These districts are usually referred to as ‘host authorities’. If your application is within one of these local authority areas, it is likely that your application will be processed by our teams within the local council.
You can find out here who your district council is at www.gov.uk/find-local-council
Please use the table below to find your local council, you can then see where your application will be processed –
| Local Authority | Planning Team | Contact Information |
| Arun District Council | SDNP Midhurst |
01730 819361 |
| Adur & Worthing Councils | SDNP Midhurst |
01730 819361 |
| Brighton & Hove City Council | SDNP Midhurst |
01730 819361 |
| Chichester District Council | SDNP Chichester |
01243 534734 |
| East Hampshire District Council | SDNP East Hants |
01730 234246 |
| Horsham District Council | SDNP Midhurst |
01730 819361 |
| Lewes & Eastbourne District Councils | SDNP Lewes |
customerfirst@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk 01273 471600 |
| Mid-Sussex District Council | SDNP Midhurst |
01730 819361 |
| Wealden District Council | SDNP Midhurst |
01730 819361 |
| Winchester City Council | SDNP Winchester |
01962 840222 |
| Minerals and Waste – Hampshire, East Sussex, and West Sussex County Councils | SDNP Midhurst |
01730 819361 |
The SDNPA review every application received, and there are some cases within a host authority area which need to be processed by the Midhurst team as they potentially generate particular, special, or major issues for the National Park. These cases are ‘called-in’ applications and will be processed by the SDNPA Midhurst planning team.
Further information on called-in applications is available here.
