The Town Council recently submitted an updated version of the Hailsham Neighbourhood (Development) Plan to Wealden District Council, giving residents, businesses and community organisations the opportunity to comment on the revised Plan through a Regulation 16 public consultation.
The consultation represented one of the final opportunities for the local community to provide feedback before the updated Plan moves forward to independent examination.
This milestone follows a successful Regulation 14 consultation carried out by Halsham Town Council, which demonstrated strong community engagement and broad support for the draft revised Plan. The consultation, organised by the Town Council’s Neighbourhood Planning Committee and its partners, took place in early 2026, whereby residents, businesses, statutory consultees and local organisations were invited to comment on the draft document.
Originally adopted in July 2021, the Hailsham Neighbourhood Plan recently carried out a full review. The revised version builds on the existing Plan, taking account of updated local priorities, changes to national planning policy and the evolving development context within the town.
The Plan sets out a clear, community-led framework for future growth in Hailsham over the coming years, addressing key issues including housing, transport, green infrastructure, heritage, climate change and local services.
The revised Plan includes a number of key policy areas, including:
Strong community supportFeedback from the Regulation 14 consultation indicates a high level of support for the Plan’s overall direction. Survey results show that approximately 73% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with the proposed policies. A further 17% neither agreed nor disagreed, while around 10% expressed disagreement.
Responses were received from a broad cross-section of the community. Nearly half of respondents were aged over 65, while younger residents were also represented, including contributions from those under the age of 18.
The consultation generated detailed feedback across a range of policy areas:
Plan strengthened through consultationIn addition to policy-specific feedback, respondents raised wider concerns including pressure on infrastructure, street maintenance, littering and pavement parking. The revised Plan includes clearer references to the responsibilities of relevant authorities and, where appropriate, enforcement mechanisms.
To improve accessibility, the Town Council will also consider producing an Executive Summary of the Plan at the referendum stage.
Representations received through the Regulation 16 consultation will be collated and carefully reviewed as part of the next stage of the neighbourhood planning process. Comments submitted will be considered by the Town Council and Wealden District Council before the revised Plan is submitted for independent examination.
The independent examination will be undertaken by an examiner appointed to assess whether the Plan meets the necessary legal requirements and relevant national and local planning policy tests. The examiner may recommend modifications to the Plan where considered necessary.
Following the examination and subject to the outcome and any recommendations made by the examiner, the revised Neighbourhood Plan is expected to proceed to a local referendum.
The referendum would provide eligible Hailsham residents with the final opportunity to decide whether the revised Neighbourhood Plan should be brought into force. If the Plan receives the required support at referendum and all remaining statutory requirements are satisfied, it can then be formally adopted and used in the determination of planning applications.
“The Town Council would like to thank everyone who took the time to read the Plan and submit their views during the consultation period. Public participation is fundamental to neighbourhood planning and the representations received will now form an important part of the next stage of the process.
The revised Plan has been developed with the long-term interests of Hailsham in mind. Since the original Neighbourhood Plan was adopted in 2021, there have been significant changes to the planning policy landscape as well as changes within our town and the wider community. It was therefore important to undertake a thorough review to ensure that the Plan remains relevant, effective and capable of addressing the challenges and opportunities that Hailsham faces.
The Town Council recognises the importance of getting this Plan right. Neighbourhood planning is a detailed and lengthy process, but it provides a valuable mechanism for ensuring that local priorities are properly considered as Hailsham continues to evolve. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the process so far and we look forward to progressing the revised Plan through the remaining stages.
Hailsham Town Council remains committed to keeping residents informed as the Plan progresses and will provide further updates at the appropriate stages of the process.
Full documents can be downloaded via the links below. Please note that hard copies of the Hailsham Neighbourhood Plan and the accompanying Design Guide and Code are available to read at the Town Council Offices (Inglenook, Market Street, Hailsham, BN27 2AE).