Object

Local Plan Review: Preferred Approach 2016-2035

Representation ID: 155

Received: 15/01/2019

Respondent: West Wittering Parish Council

Representation Summary:

Para 3.11 The Parish Council challenges the assertion that the provision of new dwellings will make the area more self contained. This needs more robust evidence. Currently the village of East Wittering has lost 4 banks, a holiday centre and a large pub and businesses rely heavily on seasonal tourism for trade. New homes without new local jobs will be a drain on current infrastructure. market homes are likely to add to the number of residents getting off the peninsular for work and will therefore not reduce the areas reliance on Chichester city centre.

Full text:

The Parish Council challenges the assertion that the provision of new dwellings will make the area more self contained. This needs more robust evidence. Currently the village of East Wittering has lost 4 banks, a holiday centre and a large pub and businesses rely heavily on seasonal tourism for trade. New homes without new local jobs will be a drain on current infrastructure. market homes are likely to add to the number of residents getting off the peninsular for work and will therefore not reduce the areas reliance on Chichester city centre.

In addition:

1 The funding for the £65m to carryout the road mitigation measures for the A27 etc exceeds the figure which could reasonable be obtained by developer contributions. The ability to delivery these measures to mitigate the additional traffic arising from the local plan housing numbers is therefore uncertain. The local plan should therefore set out how it plans to deal with this major uncertainty. This could possibly be achieved by having clearly defined phasing with trigger points which require a change in approach, or the housing numbers reduced. This has happened before with road mitigation works not being delivered because of lack of funding (Selsey Tram)
2 There are major concerns about the strategic industrial / housing site AL6 (Land South West of Chichester Apluldram & Donnington). This requires the construction of a Link road between Fishbourne Birdham Lane at Donnington. This site is at risk of both tidal and fluvial flooding on ground which already has a high-water table and no consideration is given to rising sea level associated with climate change. To quote WSCC who are the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) 'These limits how the site can be effectively drained without a step change from typically employed methods to embrace more innovative and currently expensive options'. This site should be rejected and replaced by AL4, which is in the current Local Plan, even if this requires compulsory purchase powers to acquire it.
3 The above link road combined with the proposed A27 junction designs at Stockbridge and Whyke which bans right turns would result in significant forecast changes to traffic flows on the Manhood Peninsula. As WSCC, as the Highways Authority, points out it requires further feasibility work before the Local Plan is submitted to show that the transport strategy can be delivered and funded.
4 Both CDC and WSCC promoted a Mitigated Northern Route for the A27 at Chichester as the preferred option. Policy S30 which introduces 'wildlife corridors' conflicts with the ability to deliver a Northern Route. Policy S30 requires amending so that it does not exclude the possibility of a Northern Route. There cannot be any policy which excludes the possibility of a Northern route.
5 Additional traffic at the Fishbourne roundabout should be assessed in terms of air quality and accident numbers.

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