Having read Policy AL10 - Chidham & Hambrook Parish, and the proposal for a minimum of 500 houses, I object to the proposal. Attempting to build over 500 houses in the proposed area in Chidham & Hambrook means:
1. Once agricultural land is built on, and I suspect it's good quality agricultural land, it's lost forever.
2. The amount of houses planned WILL upset the ecosystem of both the South Downs National Park and Chichester Harbour AONB, regardless of precautions planned.
3. The amount of houses planned WILL increase pressure on surrounding roads, especially the A259 and ultimately the A27 Fishbourne roundabout. Chichester already has a serious transport issue within and on the A27 which will only get worse.
4. I do not believe that sustainable forms of transport will be negotiated with Southern Rail and Stagecoach buses. Although there is a railway station at Nutbourne the current services are unreliable and inadequate with one train an hour which is often cancelled. It took me 2 hours the other evening to get from Arundel to Nutbourne. School children have to wait over 40 minutes at end of school in Chichester to get home to Fishbourne, Bosham & Nutbourne due to the current timetable.
To catch the bus on the A259 is inaccessible to people north of the railway due to the dangerous Broad road (speeding cars), insufficient and incomplete lack of lighting, and poor or non-existent pavements. And the time it takes to get to the A259. Due to the amount of car traffic on the roads the buses are unreliable. They are also expensive.
A taxi fare from Chichester to Nutbourne is on average £14 one way. Many Chichester based taxi firms do not like coming out this far. This is not an accessible service for children and people with low financial needs.
5. There has not been any improvement or expansion of retail, community or leisure facilities even though 114+ houses have been built in the parish over the past 5 years. Due to this, car usage has increased putting added pressure on the surrounding roads, including additional pressure on the dangerous roundabout at Fishbourne.
6. I do not see where in the plan diversity and equality have been addressed. If affordable housing is being incorporated then the appropriate facilities and transport services need to be in place from the beginning. I am concerned that the plan will follow the Graylingwell development where all the facilities have been left to the last building phase.
7. How do we protect locals needing housing? This area is full of second homes empty for large parts of the year. There's a new house around the corner which has been empty for years. I do not see anywhere in the plan which gives locals priority to houses in what is a very expensive area of the country.
Are the villages along the A259 to lose their character and just become a suburb of Chichester in the same way Waterlooville & Cowplain are just one amorphous hideous mass of houses with no heart?

Improvements:
1. 500 houses are too many. A cap needs to go on.
2. Transport is essential to be organised prior to any housing development. The current needs are not being met.
3. Facilities need to be developed up front and in consultation with the current locals. The current needs are not being met.
4. The houses being developed need to be affordable for single people, disabled and vulnerable adults.
5. The available houses need to be kept for local people and not for people wanting second or holiday homes.