Lewes District Council has temporarily paused work on its Local Plan while it reassesses the impact of two major government changes: a revised National Planning Policy Framework and uncertainty over local government reorganisation.
The council says these changes have altered the planning landscape enough to affect future boundaries, housing targets, and infrastructure planning.
During the pause, officers will conduct a focused review of the new national planning policy, seek urgent clarification from Whitehall on the reorganisation proposals, continue gathering evidence, and keep engaging with government. They will also prepare an interim framework to help guide development and infrastructure decisions in the meantime.
Cabinet member for planning and infrastructure Laurence O’Connor said the council must take a prudent approach to ensure any future plan is robust, defensible at examination, and based on the latest information. He warned that a plan built on outdated policy would be ineffective, but said the council still hopes to deliver a worthwhile Local Plan if government responds constructively.
Lewes cabinet is due to receive a report later this year setting out the review’s findings and recommending the next steps for the Local Plan.
Photo by Daniil Korbut on Unsplash
