Policy S23 A more robust tree and planting policy is required to ensure that Chichester District keeps as many trees and other green planting as possible to mitigate against traffic fumes. All street trees (WSCC) should be given priority over new developments, as mitigation measures (planted afterwards) will never make up for the ecology lost by felling, and removing already established hedges and trees etc. Where the trees aren't stree trees they need to be conserved with TPOs, so that it sends a clear message that Chichester needs its tree cover, particularity in the town centre and along the main roads to provide shade and oxygen, and temperature stability.
Promotion of more sustainable methods of transport, this means building more cycle routes (not just painting lines on roads). West Sussex CC are plainly failing to do this, (28 km planned over 5 years for the whole of the county) so District must work towards this by making sure that all developments have workable junctions onto main roads or off road routes built parallel and then sign posted. District Council may not build these, but it can find funding streams and push for them to be applied locally, and hold the developers to these plans promised, so that CIL money is spent wisely.
Support integration of trains and buses, again this should be a county function, but a unique opportunity to work to integrate the railway station and bus station will be lost in Chichester if the Southern Gateway goes ahead in its current form. And as for losing the taxi rank outside the station too, that beggars belief. Where are the fast charging points for electric cars at the station and throughout our town, West Sussex lags behind the rest of the country in provision, and Chichester especially with just two slow charging points outside the CDC offices which are always full.
Wildlife corridors need to be wider and bolder, and to allow crossings of the roads that block access. The ones on the east side of Chichester are particularly miserly. Most wildlife seems to be seen dead on the roads rather than in the wild. The whole reason for being in this area is that it hasn't got coastal development right along, but has access to the wider landscape of the sea and sky.
Objection to the building of a new road between the A27 and the Birdham Road A286. This particular part of Fishbourne being listed as floodplain 2 will need piling to support a road, which will destroy the character of the Fishbourne meadows and paths to the harbour/sea. This area should instead be a wildlife corridor rather than the site of industrial units.
S26 and S27 Concrete for housebuilding or industrial units or road building is at odds with the provisions for natural environment, and in dealing with floodplains. Any sea level rise or storm surge will make our natural environment more required as a buffer. Where is the provision for climate change? Unless we halt the use of fossil fuels and use more renewable energy there is no way out of this crisis. Building of houses and industry does not give us resilience to be able to cope with the future.
S28 Pollution. We already have three AQA zones, how about more robust measures to counter private cars running on diesel and petrol? Where are the Park and Ride schemes out of town? I don't see any areas designated for this?
S29 Green Infrastructure, the policies map showed no new green infrastructure, which is an opportunity missed.