Baseline Evidence Paper

9.1Chichester district is home to a very rich and varied cultural and historic environment, and which includes locally distinct vernacular architecture, nationally significant archaeology and historic landscapes.

9.2The district contains a significant number of heritage assets, both designated and non-designated, including over 200 scheduled monuments, over 3,200 listed buildings, 86 conservation areas, 17 registered park and gardens and the Chichester Harbour National Landscape.

9.3There are a number of Conservation Area Character Appraisals in place, which are intended to improve the understanding of the special architectural and historic interest of a place, as well as shape future developments and planning policies.

Heritage assets

9.4The Chichester District Historic Environment Record (CDC HER) is a comprehensive resource detailing archaeological sites, historic buildings and finds within the district. On 7 July 2026, the council’s Cabinet agreed to merge the CDC HER with the West Sussex Historic Environment Record. Access to the HER is through West Sussex County Council.

9.5There is data held about the numbers of people who engage with heritage sites in Chichester. Such engagement is defined as visiting one of a variety of places with celebrated histories, such as those connected with industrial history, or ancient monuments or archaeological sites.

9.6In Chichester, 80% of adults reported visiting a heritage site in person in the year 2023-2024^[32]. This compares to 70% of adults in the wider south east, and is in the top 10 for authorities across England.

9.7Historic environment layers, including conservation areas and heritage assets, are available to view on the council’s baseline map. The relevant layers will need to be selected from the layers list and ‘toggled’ on.

New Local Plan Baselining Map - Heritage

^[32] Visited a heritage site - ONS