I have lived in this village for 50+ years, obviously there has been development on this peninsula and we are all aware of the tremendous traffic flow and over-congestion of the A286. This is the only main road serving the areas of Birdham, Bracklesham Bay down to the Witterings, East and West, and specifically the only main road that serves all of the housing in Birdham.

Flooding and Drainage
Birdham is a low-lying land area in relation to the sea-level. As you are aware the area proposed for development is subject to flooding. After an exceptional wet winter, which we understand will be normal climate going forwards, due to climate change, ditches and drainage are very important. The existing drainage is inadequate in these very wet winters, and although extra drainage was installed in the fields just behind Walwyn Close, tremendous flooding still resulted in Crooked Lane, at the bottom of Pescotts Close, very near Birdham Village School. When the roads flood, this causes severe potholes, of which there were many this year. Further building will result in more traffic, on roads which are unable to cope with the existing level of traffic. There is no alternative route. Building more houses and more traffic will compound the problems associated with poor drainage.
There are also problems with the drainage system which results in flooding, and the appearance of raw sewage escaping and settling in some ditches in the area.

Traffic and Related Incidents
As the road is the only main access route from the A27 to the beaches, this road becomes severely congested, to the point where emergency vehicles struggle to use the road, in an emergency.
This road has been shut on more than 2 occasions, over the years, due to fatalities and serious accidents. This means that the residents are unable to leave their locality.
It would be unsuitable to encourage any building or development that would increase the traffic volume on this road at any time.
On a congested day it can take up to 2 hours to get through a traffic jam on this road.

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
I oppose the building or development of land in Birdham, which is unquestionably an area of outstanding natural beauty and it was designated as such by parliament. Please see the attached document:
"Chichester Harbour AONB was designated in 1964 under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. Since its formation in 1971 under the Chichester Harbour Act, Chichester Harbour Conservancy has had the primary role in managing Chichester Harbour and the surrounding land identified by Parliament as being significant to the integrated management of the land and water."

The general infrastructure of the area is already severely stretched, and is not able to cope with any further increase in traffic or persons. The area should also be conserved as it is an area of outstanding natural beauty, which is needed to protect our future environment.