BUILT ENVIRONMENT GROUP (BEG)
The Built Environment Group’s purpose is to help maintain or enhance the quality of the built environment of Petersfield, its buildings, streets and urban spaces. The members of the Group are architects and planners, all with a broad knowledge of the local area.
The main day-to-day function of BEG is to monitor and comment on Planning applications for development in Petersfield and, sometimes, the local villages. Most of the applications for development in the town are of a relatively minor nature, house extensions or single dwellings, but others are for more major proposals. The Group will comment on and object to proposals which it considers are not in accordance with the policies set down in adopted Plans.
In Petersfield the adopted Plans are the South Downs Local Plan and the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan; and at national level, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Often the prime consideration of any proposal is design; even small house extensions should be designed well, and fit in with the surroundings. The NPPF and the Local plans all contain policies requiring good design. Consequently many of the Groups comments about planning applications will be about design.
Working alongside Petersfield Town Council
One of the responsibilities of The Petersfied Town Council is to comment on all Planning Applications in the Parish, and forward those comments to the Planning Authority. Some years ago the Town Council invited the Society to help it with those comments, so every four weeks the Built Environment Group reviews the list of Planning Applications and sends technical comments to the Town Council; those notes may help the Town Councillors in their deliberations.
The Society also comments on Local Plans as they go through the public consultation process (for instance the South Downs local Plan), and it was very involved with the development and preparation of the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan. It also liaises with officers of both the South Downs National Park Authority and East Hampshire District Council.
2025 is a hugely important year for the South Downs as the SDNP team plans for the future of this vibrant and much-loved National Park through a review of the Partnership Management Plan which will set out the priorities for the next five years. The Local Plan Review is a cornerstone of this planning for the future, deciding how and where development takes place in the National Park right up until 2042.
The Petersfield Society team reviewed the plan during the consultation period and passed a number of relevant comments, which you can see in the document attached here.
PLANNING COMMENTS
Petersfield Society examines all local planning applications and comments where it feels necessary, as any individual or group is entitled to do.
Below you will find links to the most recent comments made to the Petersfield Town Council planning committee:
Click here to view previous comments made to the Petersfield Town Council Planning Committee
Applications to be considered on 09/12/2025
Applications to be considered on 11/11/2025
Applications to be considered on 17/10/2024
Applications to be considered on 02/04/2024
Applications to be considered on 12/03/2024
Applications to be considered on 20/02/2024
Applications to be considered on 30/01/2024
Applications to be considered on 25/04/2023
Applications to be considered on 14/03/2023
Applications to be considered on 10/01/2023
Applications to be considered on 22/11/2022
Applications to be considered on 01/11/2022
Applications to be considered on 11/10/2022
Applications to be considered on 30/08/2022
Applications to be considered on 09/08/2022
Applications to be considered on 28/06/2022
Applications to be considered on 07/06/2022
Applications to be considered on 17/05/2022
Applications to be considered on 26/04/2022
Applications to be considered on 05/04/2022
Applications to be considered on 15/03/2022
Applications to be considered on 22/02/2022
Applications to be considered on 01/02/2022
Applications to be considered on 11/01/2022
Applications to be considered on 21/12/2021
Applications to be considered on 07/12/2021
Applications to be considered on 23/11/2021
Applications to be considered on 02/11/2021
Applications to be considered on 12/10/2021
Applications to be considered on 21/09/2021
Applications to be considered on 31/08/2021
Applications to be considered on 10/08/2021
Applications to be considered on 20/07/2021
Applications to be considered on 29/06/2021
Applications to be considered on 08/06/2021
Applications to be considered on 18/05/2021
Applications to be considered on 27/04/2021
Formal submissions on the SDNP Planning portal
When the Society has a strong opinion on an application, in particular for larger applications, we also comment directly on the South Downs Planning Portal, as any residents or organisations has the right to do.
For transparency, you can find direct links to the planning applications we have commented on here
The Built Environment Group consist of a mix of working and retired architects and planners, all with a broad knowledge of the local area and a technical knowledge of the various local and national policy frameworks. We welcome enquiries and participation from all, regardless of qualification.