Bewildered by housing plans

The Whitehouse Farm development – called the

West of Chichester Strategic Development – is the largest by far of seven strategic developments that will total 4,230 homes as detailed in the Chichester Local

Plan 2014-2029 including a primary school, ‘employment land’ of six hectares, a community hub with shops and community centre, and a country park.

The planning deadline for Chichester’s local plan to build more than 4,000 new houses with major changes to the A27 is July, 2020.

The government has refused to delay consideration of Chichester’s largest ever housing development project.

Chichester MP Gillian Keegan, the chief executive of Chichester District Council Diane Shepherd and other councillors, have all urged the Secretary of State for Housing, Robert Jenrick, to allow more time to consider this highly controversial plan, only to be told there was ‘no mechanism’ for individual authorities to have planning deadlines extended.

So there is no taking back local planning control.

The background paper in the local development plan states that the White House

Farm Housing development ‘should not affect the potential or value of the wildlife corridor or compromise on environmental quality’ and to ensure ‘high standards of construction in accordance with the council’s declaration of a climate change emergency’.

I am, therefore, bewildered that such a development should have received planning approval on such a significant greenfield site opposed by so many concerned residents reported in your newspaper, and demonstrating a complete disregard for the value wildlife and environmental quality in spite of our district council’s declaration of a climate change emergency.

I fully endorse Christopher Beazley’s July 16 letter urging Gillian Keegan MP ‘to support her constituents [in bringing back] what used to be called planning control’.

PETER LANSLEY Cedar Drive Chichester