Four concerns on Chichester District Council's local plan

The Chichester District Council local plan update is due to go to public consultation starting December 13.

Why are things that are so important always done over a holiday period?

The current proposals envisage building levels increasing from the current 435 dwellings per year to 650 dwellings per year.

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The website https://www.manhope.uk/ attempts to detail what effect this update will have across the Manhood Peninsula.

I have four major concerns:

CDC is expecting local villages south of the South Downs to accommodate the 44 dwellings per year shortfall as a result of the South Downs’ Local Plan.

These homes would be better built in villages in the National Park if it is not to become a living museum.

The A27 issue has not yet been resolved.

CDC argued before the plan inspector that their ability to build beyond 435 dwellings per year was constrained by A27 capacity.

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Nothing here has changed other than CDC claim central government policy which now demands adherence to an objectively-assessed need.

Yet the recently updated planning policy (NPPF 2018 para 8) requires them to ‘contribute to the achievement of sustainable development…’ and further requires them to be ‘identifying and co-ordinating the provision of infrastructure’…

Of importance to the Manhood Peninsula are:-

Primary schools on the Manhood are at, or very near, full capacity. West Sussex County Council have no committed plan to provide more stating ‘Until more homes are built and occupied it is difficult for WSCC to estimate how many children new housing will generate’;

The current foul water treatment estimate is based on Southern Water’s figures issued by SW Customer Services which show a 92-7 per cent utilisation and the increased housing to 650 dwellings per year would increase this to above 100 per cent.

In the past, they have said ‘In dry conditions, the system works well, but when it rains the system is completely overwhelmed’.

Laurie Pocock, Cherry Lane, Birdham