I thank you for inclusion on the consultation and the opportunity to comment on the above mentioned document.
Firstly, I think it is totally inappropriate for Chichester District Council to be required to increase housing land availability at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has so affected the house building industry. It would seem most appropriate in the circumstances for the Council to request that the Governments Planning Policy Guidance be put on hold and that all councils in a similar position (where a Revised Local Plan is in preparation and likely to be subject to a public examination within 12 months) be allowed to continue with its current adopted housing target. In any event, the Governments own reassessment of what the countries new ‘normal’ looks like may require total revision of its current planning guidance. For example, the freeing up of vacant town centre properties from planning controls for conversion to residential use will produce a whole new supply chain to impact on delivery numbers. This should be allowed to work through and to impact on the required numbers before further green field land release is allowed.
There are many unimplemented planning permissions and local plan allocations which need to be developed before the need to release further land. In that regard the Council needs to use all of its powers, including, if necessary, the use of Compulsory Purchase Order procedures. In that regard, the proposal in 4.3 to prevent land banking is welcomed but it is necessary to see firm, resolute and effective action applied for the objective to be realised.
Going back to point 3.1, a “presumption in favour of sustainable development”, there needs to a strengthening of resolve that sustainable development is a given.
In section 8, it is a welcome and positive matter to see the West Sussex Cycling Design Guide included but I would ask that this should be regarded as the basic standard.
In section 10, I would ask that the word ‘should’ be removed and the word ‘will’ be substituted. Similarly, the words ‘where appropriate’ which provide an element of wriggle room, be removed from the proposed policy statement.
I thank you for attention and look forwards to seeing progress of the document.