Wealden District Council has published the final version of its new Local Plan and is now inviting formal representations as part of the Regulation 19 consultation.
The new Wealden Local Plan will guide development across the district, excluding the area within the South Downs National Park, up to 2042. Once adopted, it will replace the existing local plan policies and will form part of the Development Plan used to determine planning applications and guide future investment and infrastructure.
The Regulation 19 consultation opened on Monday 21 September 2026 and will run until 5pm on Monday 2 November 2026.
What is the Wealden Local Plan?
The Local Plan will establish the Council’s planning strategy for the district up to 2042. It sets out a vision for how Wealden should develop and identifies where development is expected to take place.
It includes strategic and non-strategic policies covering a range of planning matters, including:
- Housing and employment development
- Infrastructure, services and facilities
- Protection of the natural and built environment
- Sustainable development
- Climate change objectives
- The location and management of future development
The Plan is intended to help meet the district’s development needs while protecting the characteristics and environment of Wealden.
Why is the Regulation 19 stage important?
This is a more formal stage in the preparation of the Local Plan than the previous consultations undertaken in 2020/2021, 2024 and 2026.
At this stage, representations should consider whether the Plan meets the relevant legal and procedural requirements and whether it is ‘sound’.
The four tests of soundness are:
Positively prepared – The Plan should provide a strategy which seeks to meet the area’s identified development needs, where it is practical to do so, and supports sustainable development.
Justified – The Plan should be an appropriate strategy, taking into account reasonable alternatives and supported by proportionate evidence.
Effective – The Plan should be deliverable over the plan period to 2042 and based on effective joint working on strategic matters that cross administrative boundaries.
Consistent with national policy – The Plan should enable sustainable development in accordance with national planning policy.
Landowners, developers and other interested parties should therefore carefully consider the policies and proposals within the Plan that may affect their land or interests.
How can representations be made?
The Council’s preferred method is to submit representations through its online consultation portal.
Representations can also be submitted using the Council’s response form by email or post.
It is important to note that representations must be received by 5pm on Monday 2 November 2026. Late submissions cannot be accepted.
Representations cannot be made anonymously. The Council will publish the name of the respondent, organisation where relevant, and the representation or a summary of it.
You can also request to be notified as the Local Plan progresses through the examination and adoption process.
What happens next?
Following the Regulation 19 consultation, Wealden District Council will consider and summarise the representations received before submitting the Local Plan, representations and supporting evidence to the Secretary of State via the Planning Inspectorate.
An independent Planning Inspector will then be appointed to examine the Plan. Examination in Public hearing sessions are currently anticipated to take place in 2027.
Those who make representations may subsequently be invited by the Inspector to participate in the Examination in Public, where appropriate.
How can Bloomfields help?
The emerging Local Plan will have implications for landowners, developers and businesses across Wealden, particularly where land is affected by proposed development strategies, site allocations or planning policies.
With the 2 November 2026 deadline approaching, it is important that landowners and other interested parties understand the proposals and consider whether a formal representation should be made.
Our team at Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners can advise on the implications of the emerging Local Plan and assist with reviewing proposals and preparing representations where appropriate.
If you have land or property interests within Wealden and would like to discuss the new Local Plan, please contact the Bloomfields team.
Key date
📅 Regulation 19 consultation closes: 5pm, Monday 2 November 2026
For the full Local Plan documents, evidence base, consultation guidance and details of how to submit a representation, visit the Wealden District Council Local Plan consultation page.