Former Conservatives call for meeting about development
Former Conservative councillors have called for a meeting to discuss a controversial development site south of Chichester.
As part of Chichester District Council’s local plan review it proposed allocating land between the A27 bypass and Apuldram for a business park, at least 100 homes and a new link road back in 2018
Out of all proposed allocations the site, known as AL6 - land south west of Chichester and owned by West Sussex County Council, received the highest number of objections during a public consultation.
But in the council’s latest housing economic land assessment allocation, published just last week, the site has been graded as developable.
A group of Chichester area
councillors, who have all recently resigned from the Conservatives, have called for a ‘round table discussion of relevant officers of both authorities and ourselves to discuss this site and the reasons behind its inclusion’.
Theyarecountycouncillors Louise Goldsmith and Jamie Fitzjohn as well as district councillors Martyn Bell and Chris Page.
According to a joint statement released by the four district and county councillors: “This area is Chichester’s delta for the River Lavant flowing from the South Downs into the harbour: it is already partially in Flood Zone 3 and is subject to sea level rise: in years to come there will be worsening coastal and fluvial flooding issues for whatever development might be contemplated and whatever the mitigations.
“Between us four Independents, our residents either live in the area or abut onto the proposed site.
“We are all concerned about the levels of air pollution in the area and that spreads out across the city and beyond too - it affects and concerns many.
“We are all worried that further development will have an additional negative effect on the current air pollution as we know that in the south of the city there are worryingly high levels of pollution at present.”