Adopted Local Plan 2021-2039

Foreword

The Chichester Local Plan 2021–39 sets out a clear, positive vision for meeting the needs of our communities and responding to the opportunities and constraints facing our wonderful natural and heritage environment. The Plan has been long in the making, reflecting the challenges which we have faced and will continue to face. This has required much work to meet and resolve the various complex issues with which we have been confronted in Chichester.

The Plan has been underpinned by extensive evidence gathering and analysis, community consultation and engagement with partner organisations. All of this has been vital in seeking to achieve the best possible framework for protecting and, wherever possible, improving our precious natural and built environment and enriching the lives of our residents, workers and visitors.

The Plan establishes a robust and extensive policy framework for our sensitive natural environment, which includes a National Landscape (The Chichester Harbour AONB) and the setting of the South Downs National Park, numerous protected wildlife sites and the need to meet water and air quality requirements. It adopts a similar approach to the built environment, where our policies seek to achieve a high standard of development, which recognise the outstanding heritage credentials of the Plan area.

Climate change has also been a key consideration, and addressing this challenge will inevitably grow in importance over the Plan period, especially as we strive to achieve more sustainable approaches to travel and respond to the significant dangers posed by flood risk, particularly along our vulnerable coastline.

The Plan sets out a sustainable strategy for the quantity, location and mix of new housing to meet the needs of our communities. It provides support for neighbourhood planning and local housing provision. The Plan also provides further momentum for our successful local economy, in both the urban and rural parts of the Plan area.

The Local Plan is also a key part of the council's efforts to achieve improved infrastructure provision within the Plan area in conjunction with the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. Together these Plans seek to enable delivery of key infrastructure projects.

This Plan provides an ambitious vision for the future of the Chichester Local Plan area and a clear set of policies focused on achieving an improved living and working environment for our residents and businesses.

Cllr Bill Brisbane
Cabinet Member for Planning
Chichester District Council