Proposed Submission Local Plan (Regulation 19)

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Why Wealden needs a Local Plan and what comes next?

The Proposed Submission Local Plan sets out how Wealden could grow and change between now and 2042. It includes proposed planning policies for housing, employment, infrastructure, community facilities and the environment. The Local Plan will guide future development across the district (excluding the area within the South Downs National Park Authority) and, once adopted, will become the primary planning document used to determine planning applications.

The Council has now published the Proposed Submission Local Plan (Regulation 19) and the formal representation period is open from Monday 21 September 2026 until 5pm on Monday 2 November 2026.

Please use this page to:

  • Learn about the Proposed Submission Local Plan
  • Access supporting documents and evidence
  • Understand the Regulation 19 process
  • Learn how representations can be submitted.
  • Learn what happens next

For the full suite of Local Plan documents, evidence base, supporting information and consultation material, please visit the Planning Policy webpages

Why do we need a Local Plan?

A Local Plan helps shape how Wealden grows and changes over time. It guides where new homes, jobs, infrastructure and community facilities may be located while helping to protect and enhance the things people value about the district.

National planning policy requires councils to plan for future housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental needs. An up-to-date Local Plan gives the Council a stronger framework for making planning decisions and helps ensure growth is plan-led, giving a structured approach to making planning decisions, ensuring developments align with long-term priorities.

The Local Plan also provides an opportunity to secure higher standards for new development. This includes improving the quality and sustainability of new homes through measures such as enhanced energy efficiency, reduced water consumption, good design and appropriate space standards. It also helps strengthen environmental protection and mitigation measures, including enhancements to biodiversity, protections for important habitats and landscapes, and measures to help safeguard ancient woodland and other valued environmental assets.

Without a Local Plan, development would still come forward, but the Council would have less influence over how it takes place, the standards development should adhere to, and what areas should be protected.

What is Regulation 19?

The Proposed Submission Local Plan has been informed by previous stages of consultation and engagement, including the Direction of Travel Consultation, the Draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) consultation in 2024 and the Focused Local Plan (Regulation 18) consultation in 2026. The previous consultations collectively have generated thousands of comments from residents, businesses, town/parish councils and stakeholders. Those comments have been considered alongside evidence, national planning policy, legal requirements and technical evidence in preparing the Proposed Submission Local Plan.

Regulation 19 is not another consultation on alternative options. It is the stage where the Council publishes the version of the Plan it proposes to submit for independent examination.

Earlier consultation stages focused on gathering views on options and proposals. Regulation 19 has a different purpose. It is not an opportunity to suggest alternative approaches. Representations should focus on whether the Plan is legally compliant and sound.

A plan is considered sound if it has been positively prepared, is justified, effective and consistent with national planning policy. A plan should also meet the relevant legal tests.

Representations should therefore focus on whether the Plan is legally compliant and sound. To ensure it is an effective and fair examination, it is important that the Inspector and all other participants in the examination process are able to know who has made representations on the plan. We must therefore ensure that the names of those making representations can be made available (including publication on our website) and taken into account by the Inspector.

How to take part

The Regulation 19 formal representation period is your opportunity to comment on whether the Proposed Submission Local Plan is legally compliant and sound before it is submitted for independent examination.

All duly made representations will be submitted to the independent Planning Inspector and considered as part of the examination process. Representations will also be considered by the Council as part of preparing the submission documents for examination.

Before making a representation, we recommend that you:

What happens next?
Once the formal representation period has closed, all duly made representations will be reviewed and collated before being submitted alongside the Proposed Submission Local Plan and supporting evidence to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination.

Following the close of the representation period, the Council intends to submit the Plan, supporting documents and representations received to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination before the end of 2026.

An independent Planning Inspector will then examine the Plan and all representations received to determine whether the Plan is legally compliant and sound. The examination is expected to take place during 2027.

The Inspector will issue a report setting out whether the Plan can proceed and whether any modifications are required. Subject to the outcome of the examination, the Council is aiming to adopt the Local Plan by the end of 2027.

Further information can be found in the FAQs section.


Why Wealden needs a Local Plan and what comes next?

The Proposed Submission Local Plan sets out how Wealden could grow and change between now and 2042. It includes proposed planning policies for housing, employment, infrastructure, community facilities and the environment. The Local Plan will guide future development across the district (excluding the area within the South Downs National Park Authority) and, once adopted, will become the primary planning document used to determine planning applications.

The Council has now published the Proposed Submission Local Plan (Regulation 19) and the formal representation period is open from Monday 21 September 2026 until 5pm on Monday 2 November 2026.

Please use this page to:

  • Learn about the Proposed Submission Local Plan
  • Access supporting documents and evidence
  • Understand the Regulation 19 process
  • Learn how representations can be submitted.
  • Learn what happens next

For the full suite of Local Plan documents, evidence base, supporting information and consultation material, please visit the Planning Policy webpages

Why do we need a Local Plan?

A Local Plan helps shape how Wealden grows and changes over time. It guides where new homes, jobs, infrastructure and community facilities may be located while helping to protect and enhance the things people value about the district.

National planning policy requires councils to plan for future housing, employment, infrastructure and environmental needs. An up-to-date Local Plan gives the Council a stronger framework for making planning decisions and helps ensure growth is plan-led, giving a structured approach to making planning decisions, ensuring developments align with long-term priorities.

The Local Plan also provides an opportunity to secure higher standards for new development. This includes improving the quality and sustainability of new homes through measures such as enhanced energy efficiency, reduced water consumption, good design and appropriate space standards. It also helps strengthen environmental protection and mitigation measures, including enhancements to biodiversity, protections for important habitats and landscapes, and measures to help safeguard ancient woodland and other valued environmental assets.

Without a Local Plan, development would still come forward, but the Council would have less influence over how it takes place, the standards development should adhere to, and what areas should be protected.

What is Regulation 19?

The Proposed Submission Local Plan has been informed by previous stages of consultation and engagement, including the Direction of Travel Consultation, the Draft Local Plan (Regulation 18) consultation in 2024 and the Focused Local Plan (Regulation 18) consultation in 2026. The previous consultations collectively have generated thousands of comments from residents, businesses, town/parish councils and stakeholders. Those comments have been considered alongside evidence, national planning policy, legal requirements and technical evidence in preparing the Proposed Submission Local Plan.

Regulation 19 is not another consultation on alternative options. It is the stage where the Council publishes the version of the Plan it proposes to submit for independent examination.

Earlier consultation stages focused on gathering views on options and proposals. Regulation 19 has a different purpose. It is not an opportunity to suggest alternative approaches. Representations should focus on whether the Plan is legally compliant and sound.

A plan is considered sound if it has been positively prepared, is justified, effective and consistent with national planning policy. A plan should also meet the relevant legal tests.

Representations should therefore focus on whether the Plan is legally compliant and sound. To ensure it is an effective and fair examination, it is important that the Inspector and all other participants in the examination process are able to know who has made representations on the plan. We must therefore ensure that the names of those making representations can be made available (including publication on our website) and taken into account by the Inspector.

How to take part

The Regulation 19 formal representation period is your opportunity to comment on whether the Proposed Submission Local Plan is legally compliant and sound before it is submitted for independent examination.

All duly made representations will be submitted to the independent Planning Inspector and considered as part of the examination process. Representations will also be considered by the Council as part of preparing the submission documents for examination.

Before making a representation, we recommend that you:

What happens next?
Once the formal representation period has closed, all duly made representations will be reviewed and collated before being submitted alongside the Proposed Submission Local Plan and supporting evidence to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination.

Following the close of the representation period, the Council intends to submit the Plan, supporting documents and representations received to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination before the end of 2026.

An independent Planning Inspector will then examine the Plan and all representations received to determine whether the Plan is legally compliant and sound. The examination is expected to take place during 2027.

The Inspector will issue a report setting out whether the Plan can proceed and whether any modifications are required. Subject to the outcome of the examination, the Council is aiming to adopt the Local Plan by the end of 2027.

Further information can be found in the FAQs section.


Page last updated: 22 Sep 2026, 05:03 PM