Chichester Local Plan: Frustration at 'lack of ambition' in tackling climate crisis and improving the local environment

Members of the Chichester & Arun Green Party point to the lack of properly adequate walking and cycling provision to prevent us from building anything but car-dependent enclaves, and to the 'solution' to tanker away the sewage from developments without facing up to bigger truths about sewage pollution.

But Green councillors are even more concerned that there is a ‘huge gap between what is happening on the ground and what the vision sets out’, which they say means the plan bears little relation to the reality that residents experience, or that the planners are aiming for.

Cllr Sarah Sharp (Green, Chichester South) said: "Whatever the fine words in the plan, I am not convinced the vision will achieve anything like what it aims for. Growth north of Chichester has been ruled out in order to ‘maintain the rural nature of the area’. Sadly, this rule doesn’t seem to apply to communities in the south. I am concerned that this strategy won’t prevent coastal squeeze, and our harbour will continue to be damaged by development. Meanwhile what is described as ‘sustainable growth close to the city at the east of Chichester’ will be far from sustainable. We are already building effectively car-dependent dormitories with few facilities at their heart. There is nothing in the Spatial Strategy that encourages me to believe that this will change. Along the A259, despite best efforts, we are losing prime-grade fields and the sense of separate villages. Effectively, on our watch, we are sitting back and allowing large tracts of rural Sussex to become a long line of urban sprawl."

As previously reported, the local plan – which acts as the development blueprint for the district – sets out housing sites, businesses areas and key policies to guide all future development across the district with the exception of the areas covered by the South Downs National Park Authority.

The key policies in the draft of the local plan are:

Large housing sites at Highgrove Farm, Bosham, land east of Chichester, Maudlin Farm, Westhampnett, the Southern Gateway, Shopwyke, land at Westhampnett/ North East Chichester, Tangmere Strategic Development Location and land west of Chichester. The development of the ‘Southern Gateway’ including the bus depot Improvements to the A27 Land for the expansion of Rolls-Royce Creation of wildlife corridors

But Local Greens question whether enough has been done to urgently reduce emissions in line with keeping below 1.5 degrees of global warming; to ensure we have enough renewable energy; and to meet biodiversity commitments. They fear our recent experience of road closure and disruption due to flooding may become the norm. Air pollution is another concern.

"My residents in Chichester South are concerned by air and noise pollution from traffic and would like stronger policies than this plan can deliver," said Cllr Sharp. "While this plan is consistent with UK statute, this lags well behind World Health Organisation standards."

Pointing to realities not yet acknowledged, Greens believe we simply don’t have enough resources to go on consuming in the way we are and that we need to be planning for more reuse centres/repair cafes and sharing via means such as a Library of Things.

Concluding and acknowledging all the suggestions not taken up and opportunities missed, Cllr Sharp said: "I just wish the plan could go a little bit further to protect and enhance the special area we live in and prepare our children and grandchildren more in the light of all that climate change might throw at our district."