MPS must take leadership role

The collateral damage from a disastrous Brexit Agreement with the impact on the availability of materials and labour coupled with the principles embodied in the proposed new planning legislation that erodes green spaces and adds to climate change gases means that this Government has, finally, pushed its self- destruct button.

The parallel failings of WSCC, CDC and Southern Water have resulted in no meaningful transport policy being delivered, no adopted local plan and a combined sewerage system that will soon reach baseline capacity unable to accommodate any additional housing.

What does this all mean for the infrastructure and housing in Chichester and its environs?

Put simply, unless the Johnson mantra is re-cast by our MPS from Build

Build Build and becomes Environment, Environment, Environment, Chichester’s special setting between the harbour and the South Downs and its rural hinterland will become like any other ‘no where’ city, surrounded by swathes of new housing with hopelessly inadequate infrastructure.

So much for a pleasant post-covid place for all to work from home and to raise families.

The problem that is often cited is the supply of new housing or the planning system or the need. But the supply is artificially suppressed by developers to inflate the value of their unused land banks and the need is unproven.

It is perhaps not surprising that all sorts of government schemes from help to buy to stamp duty holidays have all caused an untenable and rapid rise in house prices.

The result? Too many houses of the wrong type being built in the wrong places at the wrong price and the hopelessly inadequate supply of affordable homes in favour of market (ie more profitable) homes.

No wonder our housing is in such a mess.

I sense that there is now cross-community pressure for an immediate moratorium on any new housebuilding for the next five years whilst the inter related issues are properly planned.

However this does not mean that there will be no availability of additional housing in the interim. For example the removing of VAT from refurbishment projects would be a sustainable option with less materials required to already serviced buildings, the conversion and re-purposing of retail premises would bring life back in to the city, the building on land for which developers have already secured planning permission and the use of brownfield sites would all massively contribute to the stock of housing.

For the large developers of course there will be less profit and for the current government fewer donations.

However, our local MPS need to take an immediate and joint leadership role to resolve this rapidly unfolding crisis of confidence, trust and contradictions. NICKREYNOLDS Pook Lane

Lavant