There are two planning authorities in East Hampshire:

  • East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) - covers one-third of the area
  • South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) - covers the rest, from Eastbourne to Winchester.

Submitting a planning application

Requirements

EHDC has put together a list of requirements when submitting a planning application. These are essential to support all planning application types and help the council to determine their validity.

The SDNPA has a separate list of requirements which can be found on their website.

Pre-application planning advice

EHDC provides guidance before you apply to help you understand key considerations.

How to apply

The easiest way to submit your planning application is online through the planning portal. The planning portal tells you which forms you need to complete and what supporting documents you need.

When submitting an application, in most cases there will be a planning application fee. The fee is paid at the time you submit your application.

Plans and copyright

Many applications get rejected due to incorrect plans. Using approved suppliers from the planning portal ensures compliance

If using Ordnance Survey data, your plan must have a valid license number.

The decision process

We will inspect the site and consult anyone who might want to give an opinion, such as neighbours and the parish council.

We will also consider other things, such as:

  • local development policies like the local plan
  • national planning legislation 
  • flood risk areas
  • our natural and built heritage.

Please note, for applications where there is an agent, all communication about progress on the application must be via the agent.

Around 80% of planning decisions are straightforward and are made at officer level. More complex decisions are made by the planning committee which meets every four weeks.

Most planning applications are decided within 8 weeks. For large or complex projects, the time limit is extended to 13 weeks. We will do our best to help you make any necessary changes so that your application can be decided within these times.

Receiving the decision

You (or your agent) will receive an official decision notice via email.

  • if approved - follow any conditions in the decision notice.
  • if refused - you can modify your plan or appeal.