Southwater commits to a “Full Review” of the Neighbourhood Plan

At an Extraordinary Council Meeting on 17 December 2025, Southwater Parish Council resolved to proceed with a “Full Review” of the Southwater Neighbourhood Plan, including housing allocations.

Why a Full Review?

A full review gives Southwater the strongest platform to shape where growth goes, what it looks like, and how supporting infrastructure is delivered. It is the route most likely to restore protection under paragraph 14 once made, at a time when national and local changes are reducing opportunities to refer planning applications to committee. This increases the importance of having an up-to-date neighbourhood plan that carries weight at officer level.

What is Paragraph 14 and why is it important?

Paragraph 14 is a key part of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as it sets out the principle known as the “presumption in favour of sustainable development”. This means that planning decisions should generally support development that meet local needs – unless there is a strong reason not to, such as harm to protected areas or heritage.

For Neighbourhood Plans, paragraph 14 is especially important as an up-to-date plan which includes housing allocation and is made within the last five years, carries extra weight when deciding planning applications. This protection helps ensure that new developments respect the vision your community has set out, even when wider policies are under pressure.

That’s why a full review matters: it keeps your neighbourhood plan current and ensures it continues to influence where growth happens, what it looks like and how infrastructure is delivered.

 

Working with neighbouring parishes

As part of the resolution, the Council will approach and engage with the neighbouring parishes of Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, Itchingfield, Nuthurst, and Shipley to ask whether they wish to partner with Southwater and be included in the Neighbourhood Plan Area. Partnership would be welcomed and could enable stronger joint working on shared issues. It could also provide extra protections to speculative development occurring on the Southwater Parish boundary but outside the Parish of Southwater – i.e. Southwater feeling the impact but not receiving contributions of Community Infrastructure Levy and contribution to the precept via Council tax.

The Council will proceed with the Full Review regardless of whether other parishes join.

What residents can expect

Subject to formal scoping, the programme includes eight stages which include:

1. scoping and confirmation of approach;

2. review of evidence;

3. a call for sites;

4. drafting and policy development;

5. Regulation 14 consultation;

6. Submission;

7. examination; and

8. referendum.
   

Under the current outline programme, completion is expected around May 2027. Detailed dates and opportunities to take part will be publicised at each stage.

Costs and budgeting of the Neighbourhood Plan Full Review

There are currently no central government grants available for neighbourhood plan reviews. The indicative cost to complete the Full Review is £75,000 to £115,000 ex VAT, which covers the full process from scoping through to referendum. The Council will reflect the required provision in its 2026–27 budget and precept.

Final costs will be refined after Stage 1 scoping and engagement with neighbouring parishes. Participation by neighbouring parishes will likely increase the overall estimated cost of the Full Review if the plan area is expanded, but the associated costs for the respective parishes and their proportion of costs would be met by that Parish.

Why are we doing this now?

• The current Southwater Neighbourhood Plan was made in June 2021 and benefits from paragraph 14 protection until 23 June 2026. Without a comprehensive review, protection will lapse, leaving the parish more exposed to speculative development while the district’s supply remains constrained.
  

• Our planning consultants were asked to carry out a full review of the options available including exploring the most robust approach for Southwater. Read the “Working Draft” report and update, dated 30 October 2025.
  

• A reviewed Neighbourhood Plan would provide the most up-to-date, locally specific planning policies that carry statutory weight when planning applications and appeals are considered, addressing for example, the policy gaps highlighted by the recent Horsham Golf Club appeal. By clearly setting out Southwater priorities, settlement boundaries, development principles, and more, it would give decision-makers stronger grounds to resist speculative development proposals that can conflict with local community expectations. This would place the Parish Council and the community of Southwater in a more robust position when responding to appeals and unplanned development pressures.

 

Have your say

Your voice matters in shaping Southwater’s future. The Full Review will include multiple opportunities for community input – how to comment on draft policies, site options and more. Residents, local groups, businesses, and landowners will be invited to participate during the call for sites, the Regulation 14 consultation, and later stages.

For background information, you can read the Council’s briefing note and the Squires Planning update that informed this decision.

If you have any questions, please contact the Parish Office.