Development issues raised
The scale of development and environmental issues around the harbour were raised at a virtual conference.
Concerns about the scale of development proposed and environmental issues at Chichester Harbour were raised at a virtual community conference last month.
The amount of housebuilding planned in and around the city and the knockon impact of this has been one of the biggest recent issues facing the area.
With Chichester District Council lacking a five-year housing land supply and developers submitting speculative applications, many have pushed for a moratorium on all new large applications until a revised local plan is adopted.
However the community conference, organised by Chichester MP Gillian Keegan, heard this had been ruled out.
Susan Taylor, the council’s cabinet member for planning, explained that they could not unilaterally declare a moratorium as anyone could submit a planning application and these have to go through due process.
Meanwhile Sue Beale, area manager for Natural England, said: “What we are trying to do rather than object to individual applications is we are working with the district council to come up with a strategic solution, which is a much better way forward.”
One of the biggest concerns with any speculative development is the environmental impact this would have on Chichester Harbour and the AONB.
The lack of wastewater capacity, the declining water quality of the harbour and the subsequent damage to natural habitats were all discussed.
Cigolène Nguyen, head of assets, processes and systems at Southern Water, said they were taking action to lower nitrate levels in Chichester and Pagham harbours, had seen the new Tangmere pipeline go live and were also investing in plans to improve monitoring and reduce groundwater infiltration.
She said that Sidlesham would have treatment capacity into the 2030s, while they were putting in place a nitrate removal scheme to help with the treatment process at Pagham.
When it came to Thornham, there were environmental constrains and they could not remove any more nitrates at that treatment works. Southern Water is meeting with the Environment Agency to ‘understand what the options are and what we can do’.
Michael Turner, area manager for the Environment Agency, said they were ‘really concerned’ about the condition of Chichester Harbour and the recent Natural England report had been ‘sobering’.
He said they have to make a careful assessment of any impacts when they issue permits for discharges to companies such as Southern Water.
Meanwhile Ms Beale said there were a range of reasons for the condition of the harbour and they ‘can’t lay the blame in one place’.
On development more generally, Mrs Taylor described how CDC’S local plan, agreed in 2015, still has status, but the lack of a fiveyear housing land supply meant the planning balance is currently tilted more in favour of sustainable development as defined by government guidance.
A request for more time to complete the local plan review was denied by ministers, but the district council has been offered more resources.