Current plan timeline, setting out what has been done and is still to do…
Thursday 4 December 2025 – A referendum of all West Saltdean residents on the electoral roll will be held.
Voting by post and in-person at St Nicholas’ Church Hall from 7am-10pm.
Please bring photo ID to vote in-person. You can also drop your postal vote off on the day.
October 13 2025 – The plan was approved at a meeting of all 54 BHCC Councillors.
September 2025 – The draft plan was revised by BHCC to include requests for changes and further information by the external examiner. You can read the revised plan here:
August 2025 – All draft plans must be reviewed by an external examiner who is a planning specialist.
The draft West Saltdean Neighbourhood plan was reviewed by Derek Stebbing BA(Hons) DipEP MRTPI. His report of August 6 2025 can be found here:
Extract from report:
It is clear that the West Saltdean Neighbourhood Plan is the product of much hard work undertaken since 2022 by the Forum, its Steering Group and the many individuals and stakeholders who have contributed to the preparation and development of the Plan.
In my assessment, the Plan reflects the land use aspirations and objectives of the West Saltdean community for the future planning of their area up to 2030.
The output is a Plan which should help guide the area’s development over that period, making a positive contribution to informing decision-making on planning applications by Brighton & Hove City Council and the South Downs National Park Authority.
The next step is for The Forum to amend the plan so it can go to a meeting of all 54 BHCC Councillors in October.
After that there will be a referendum of all West Saltdean residents registered to vote to adopt the plan
Getting Started:
February 2022 First grant received from Locality. £900 for our consultant Nancy Astley to set up and register the forum and plan area.
March 2022: Form the Neighbourhood Plan Forum and hold first Forum meeting
March 2022: Regulation 5 and 6 Neighbourhood Plan Designation Area Application submitted
August 2022: Regulation 7 Neighbourhood Plan Designation Area Application approved by Brighton & Hove City Council
Gathering Evidence
Q4 2022 Printed Survey distributed to all West Saltdean Residents and available on surveymonkey
October 2022: Saltdean Beach Tunnel Project awarded Forum £544 for Surveymonkey subscription: £384 and newsletter designer £160
December 2022: £5082 grant from Locality
Steering Groups start to exchange ideas in person and via email.
Aug-Sept 2023 Survey of household types conducted by residents
External reports prepared:
AECOM Housing Needs Assessment August 2023
AECOM Design Code Jan 2024
Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre – ecological data search report Jan 2024
The Report
Q4 2023: Draft Neighbourhood Plan Prepared
Approval Process
Jan 2024 Draft plan submitted to Brighton & Hove City Council with request for decision as to whether a Strategic Environmental Assessment or Habitats Regulation Assessment are required.
March Decision made that above assessments are not needed.
May 12 – June 30 Regulation 14 Consultation with Saltdean residents and others.
Amending Plan following Consultation
Q3 2024 Considered responses to Reg. 14 Consultation
Made amendments to neighbourhood plan as required following Reg. 14 Consultation
Prepared Basic Conditions Statement, Consultation Statement and Equalities Assessment
Forum approved submission of neighbourhood plan and supporting documents to BHCC.
Feb/March 2025
BHCC conducted a further consultation with stakeholders including West Saltdean residents. More details here: https://yourvoice.brighton-hove.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/west-saltdean-neighbourhood-plan
https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/planning/planning-city/west-saltdean-neighbourhood-area-and-forum
May 2025 – BHCC appointed an external planning inspector to examine the plan and sent him a collation of the responses from the Feb/March consultation.
June 2025
The Examiner is reviewing all the feedback from both the Regulation 14 and 16 stages and will suggest adjustments to ensure the plan aligns with the planning regulations, the City Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
You can see his initial questions and the response here: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/planning/planning-city/west-saltdean-neighbourhood-area-and-forum
August 2025
Examiners report published August 6 2025.
Plan to be modified as per the examiner’s report.
October 2025
Plan to be approved by Full Council (meeting of all 54 Councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council).
Referendum:
Publication of pre-Referendum information and documents
Referendum
Publication of Referendum decision
Neighbourhood plan is ‘made’
The West Saltdean Neighbourhood Forum 