Proposal to build 250 homes on Bethwines farm. Why this should never happen.

Bethwines Farm is a large piece of farmland on the western edge of Fishbourne north of the railway line which isolates it from the A259 main road. This means that any traffic leaving any future development will have to exit south over the level crossing to the narrow southern end of Blackboy Lane onto the A259 or noth via Clay Lane, already used as a 'rat run' to Tescos and Chichester, avoiding the A27 roundabout. The building of any new homes on Bethwines Farm has the potential to expand very quickly to over 1000. Anyone looking at a map of Fisbourne can see that this development is not sustainable and would have a distructive effect upon the whole of Fishbourne which would require major infrastructure changes. It would destroy the rural setting forever.

There are many reasons why this land should not be used for development.

1. It is prime agricultural land and has been farmed continually for over 80 years.

2. In the spring and summer the sound of skylarks abounds across the farm, bats are numerous in the evenings deer and other wildlife use it as a corridor from the sea to the downs.

3. The loss of a valued view across to Bosham and north to the downs and Kingley Value.

4. Increased risk of flooding along the A259, already a problem when high tides combine with a storm and heavy rain. Something which is becoming more frequent with global warming.

5. Fishbourne has a high water table and this leads to problems with rising sewage at times when there is continual heavy rain.

6. More homes would put more pressure on already crumbling lanes and roads.

7. No Dr Surgery, no room at the school and no local shops puts extra traffic on the roads, extra traffic, extra pollution.

8. Blackboy Lane is narrow and crumbling and not suitable for heavy construction vehicles on a large scale.

9. A rural setting lost forever.

I would ask the District Council to reconsider their proposals for development in Fisbourne. Especially in regard to Bethwines Farm.