Summersdale Residents Association::Chichester, West Sussex

On Monday 20th February a Chichester Community Collaboration Forum was held to understand more about the plans, ambitions, and aspirations of groups and organisation that contribute to the vitality, life, and vibrancy of Chichester. The results of the forum will form part of the evidence base for the forthcoming Chichester Neighbourhood Plan which has legal standing and is focused on understanding neighbourhood needs over the next 10-15 years.
The SRA contributed to this forum. The presentation given is attached here.

All the slides from the Forum will be on the City Council website in due course. We will provide a link once they are there and keep you up to date with the Neighbourhood Planning process and outcomes.

Neighbourhood planning is a way for local communities to decide the future of their areas. Successful Neighbourhood Plans will form part of the development plan used by Chichester District Council in determining planning applications.
The Localism Act (2011) gave powers to local communities and parish and town councils to produce Neighbourhood Plans. The Neighbourhood Planning Regulations (2012) set out the stages of producing a Neighbourhood Plan.

Whitehouse Farm

CDC Member Briefing - White House Farm phase 2

A Member Public Briefing has been rescheduled for Thursday 22 September at 09:30 in the Committee Rooms at East Pallant House. It is understood that this is primarily a briefing for District Councillors, but members of the public are invited to attend.

Because of the likely strong interest there may be limited capacity for the public, but people will also be able to listen to a live audio broadcast of the meeting.

Details are on the District Council's website here.

Summary of Outline Application (22/01485/OUTEIA)

The application comprises 850 homes and employment land, with

vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access from Westgate

extensions to approved phase 1 community facility and primary school

informal and formal open space (including northern Country Park)

playing pitches and associated landscaping

utilities and drainage infrastructure

Associated demolition of existing agricultural buildings on site.

Closure of Clay Lane vehicular access

SRA Committee Comment

The SRA committee has been monitoring this proposal, with a focus on the Southern Access Route (SAR) and the proposal for a Northern Country Park, both of which issues have attracted strong objections. Note that the 850 homes add to the 750 in phase 1, totalling 1600 as agreed in the original scheme, and so probably not up for debate.

With over 200 documents and comments on the planning portal, an overview of the scheme can be seen in the Design & Access Statement part 1 of 4 document, along with the Indicative Landscape Plan.

Note there have been many objections, especially about junctions to the Southern Access Road and the proposal to make a country park in the agricultural land NE of the site.

The Southern Access Route (SAR) raises serious concerns for pedestrians and cyclists as well as motorists and the impact on neighbouring roads as well as Centurian Way. National Highways has requested (26 July) postponing determination for 3 months pending further clarification.

The proposed country park in the area NE of the site is in addition to the Southern Country Park which formed part of the phase 1 development. It would occupy the two fields adjacent to Brandy Hole Copse Local Nature Reserve. Various objectors and the Friends of Brandy Hole Copse argue that, rather than being designated a Country Park (which implies recreational use), these areas should become a Local Nature Reserve as an extension to Brandy Hole Copse. This area is currently managed by the Friends of Brandy Hole Copse on behalf of the District Council, and the Friends could assume oversight of the extension.

Note that The SRA's last article about BH Copse was on page 4 of the Summer 2017 newsletter here

Notes from Phase 1

The City Council proposed a 'land swap' whereby Bishop Luffa School would be re-built on the Whitehouse Farm development and the new houses this would displace, built on the current Bishop Luffa site.

Miller Homes, the Whitehouse Farm Developers, ran a short lived 'virtual public consultation'.
More details here

And the Chichester Society have current status of the development here

The Daffodil Field - Raughmere Meadows - Appeal Rejected!

Thank you to all of you who wrote in with an objection to this development [and | or] attended the appeal hearing. We are pleased to report that the appeal has been rejected!

The full text of the Appeal Decision is here

It's history now, but all the correspondence relating to the appeal can be seen on the CDC Planning Portal (link at the bottom of the page) together with CDC's and the Appellant's cases.

A summary of the Statement of the Appeal case is given here, and some of the key points of rebuttal are as follows :-

Landscape and Visual Impact: This land is crucial to the space between the city and the village of Lavant, 'the Lavant Gap'. It allows a separation of the two communities, ensuring that they each maintain their unique character. It is a part of the very attractive English landscape of the area, on the edge of the National Park. This land is beside the main route into Chichester from the north, which at present provides the most appealing gateway to the city. The planning inspector for the last appeal wrote of this gap "While it might be argued that such an effect (reducing the gap) might not be dominant enough to have a 'significant detrimental impact' on the landscape character of the National Park, I am in no doubt that it would noticeably impair the perception of the enclosing landscape around the northern limits of Chichester, a feature that I find crucial to the appreciation of an ancient cultural, historical and religious landmark."

Noise and safety from Goodwood:

Goodwood have said that there are substantial safety issues with flights if this one underdeveloped area is allowed to be built on. This is the only underdeveloped area, in which planes can fly over safely and where the pilots can take action to avoid built up areas. The safety issues have been further highlighted due to the recent accident.

Aircraft take-off from runway 24 requires a sharp turn immediately after take-off to avoid flying over a built up area, which is quite extreme. If this development were allowed and take-off was no longer over an underdeveloped area, it could be argued that a straight-line take-off is safer, resulting in more planes flying low over southern Summersdale rather than the new estate.

Lack of a local Plan: The proposal takes advantage of the delay by the Chichester District Planning Authority in updating the Local Plan in response to ever-increasing housing targets. Needless to say, the area is not designated for housing in all other plans i.e. the Interim Policy Statement for Housing Development, the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment 2020, and the Lavant Neighbourhood Plan.

Five-year housing land supply: At the time of the planning application CDC had only identified Housing Land Supply (HLS)for some 4 years rather than the statutory 5 years. It is our understanding that they have now identified 5.1 years HLS which, needless to say, does not include this development site.

Benefits:

Do we need: a further 2 acres of public open space, landscaping and wildlife habitat so close to the SDNP; another entrance to Centurion Way in this area; outdoor event space and children's play areas so close to the amphitheatre and Lavant play area?

If Chichester needs a nitrogen neutral development of 140, energy and water efficient, homes including 30% (42 homes) affordable housing, should they not be put where CDC have identified land?

Infrastructure

Doctors Surgery: The local Doctor's surgery is already at breaking point. How would they cope with another 140 homes (possibly another 400 patients)

Sewage: We are all aware of the sewage issues around Chichester as highlighted by the recent press coverage. We understand that the under capacity of sewage treatment in north Chichester regularly results in raw sewage being shipped by tanker elsewhere for treatment, worsening the Chichester Harbour problem. This lack of sewage capacity could result in residents' homes being flooded with raw sewage if it wasn't released into the harbour! Can Southern Water really cope with another 140 houses?

Links for more information :-

The Full Statement of Case can be found on the CDC Planning Portal here

Our copy of the site plan is here

Goodwood flight path(s) are shown on this map

Berkeley Homes' website is here

And archive of our notes from the 2013 plans here

Madgwick Village

Outline planning permision is being sought to build 165 houses to the west of Magwick Lane. That's in addition to the 300 currently being built to the east of the lane and the 200 east of Graylingwell.
The Planning application (20/02824/OUT) can be found here

Westhampnett/North East Chichester SDL Land North East Of Graylingwell Park - Phase 2

The SRA is monitoring this development, in particular the proposed pedestrian / cycleway that will run to the end of Fordwater Road, near the bridge over the River Lavant. At the northern end it would run between the River Lavant and houses on Maplehurst Road.

For further details see Planning Application 19/03191/REM on the CDC website: Application for reserved matters (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale ) for residential development comprising up to 200 dwellings, including an element of affordable housing, associated landscaping and open space.

Your Voice Counts

Any objections to planning applications can be sent via the CDC website or by letter to :-

   Head of Development and Building Control Services,
   Chichester District Council,
   East Pallant House,
   1 East Pallant,
   Chichester,
   West Sussex

Mark as “Objection” and include the reference number.

Planning Queries: Chichester District Council:

Click here to view the CDC Planning Screen. Once at the welcome screen, check the menu items and choose the service you require.

Summersdale Neighbourhood Character Appraisal

We produced a report in 2008 which serves as a reference in planning matters in our area. Its summary describes its purpose thus :-
It was "written in conjunction with the Chichester City Planning and Conservation Committee, was limited to the oldest properties and roads in the suburb. It describes the history and distinctive visual character of the neighbourhood, and provides a framework for limited and sensitive development, while protecting the long established character and heritage of the area.
A case is made for either an appropriate Conservation policy, or a comprehensive Local Listing of buildings 'the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance' (PPG15). It also makes a strong case against demolition, and puts quality well before quantity in any re-development. There are no current opportunities for large scale development in the prescribed area and few, if any, for appropriate infill re-development. The area needs no re-generation per se, and the local demand for other than established family homes should be easily absorbed by the large residential developments nearby at Graylingwell Hospital and the Roussillon Barracks.
Update March 2021
The 2008 release of the Appraisal was adopted as an Annexe to the Chichester Town Plan Document as revised in September 2009.
Unfortunately it was not taken up by the District Council owing to lack of resources, and recent years have seen significant re-development, especially on the Lavant Road.
We have now updated the document to reflect recent developments, and included some suggested Development Criteria that we hope can be adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance. In the interest of brevity the historical background and architectural detail have been relegated to a separate Appendix.
We hope that it can be included in the City Council's new Neighbourhood Plan currently under development (though unfortunately subject to delay), so in the meantime it is available here as a guideline for formulating and assessing new development proposals.

The full revised document is here
The History and Architecture Appendix here
And the original 2008 Appraisal here