Seaford Town Council’s response to the Lewes Local Plan consultation is LIVE

< Back to News

Following several months of extensive public engagement with the Seaford community, Seaford Town Council has finalised and submitted its response to Lewes District Council (LDC) regarding the Lewes Local Plan consultation: A Spatial Strategy for Development and Site Allocations.

At its Planning and Highways Committee meeting on Thursday 12 February, the Town Council expressed its thanks to all residents who took part in the Town Council–facilitated engagement sessions. These sessions generated a significant amount of valuable local insight, which directly informed the Town Council’s official response on behalf of Seaford.

This consultation represents phase two of the statutory Regulation 18 process, through which LDC must seek public input on its emerging Local Plan. Regulation 18 is an early and crucial stage under the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2012, giving residents, businesses, and stakeholders the opportunity to help shape proposals for future housing, employment, infrastructure, and land allocations.

Final Opportunity to Comment

The deadline for this final stage of public comment before the plan reaches ‘pre‑submission’ (Regulation 19) stage is: 6pm on 28 February 2026 - all information on the consultation and to submit comments, please visit - https://planningpolicyconsult.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/LP_SpatialStrategyandSites

Key Concerns Raised by Seaford Town Council

In its submission (available here), the Town Council highlighted several issues with how the Lewes Local Plan affects Seaford, including:

Classification & Density

Seaford’s classification as a District Centre, and the associated minimum housing density requirements, which the Town Council believes are not appropriate for the town.

Insufficient Infrastructure Capacity

Road network already at capacity
GP services unable to accommodate further growth
School places limited
Public transport provision restricted
Utilities operating at capacity

Environmental & Character Concerns

The need to protect green spaces and Areas of Established Character
Proposed site allocations being inconsistent with certain planning policies
Tourism data being significantly out of date
Seaford being excluded from Dark Skies policies
LDC’s Local Green Spaces methodology conflicting with the National Planning Policy Framework

Have Your Say

The Town Council strongly encourages residents to participate in this consultation. To support you in doing so, the Town Council’s full submission is available to view and usehere

What Happens Next?

LDC will review all consultation responses and use them to finalise the draft Local Plan. The updated version—known as Regulation 19—will then be published for a further round of consultation before being submitted for government examination.

LDC's Target submission date: December 2026.