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Chichester Local Plan 2021 - 2039: Proposed Submission
Representation ID: 5547
Received: 17/03/2023
Respondent: West Sussex Growers' Association
Over the last five years the horticultural industry has seen a chronic shortage of workers at all skills levels. This has been a major problem locally due to the very high accommodation and transport costs in the Chichester area.
Providing new, purpose built staff accommodation facilities on site can solve many of these problems. On site accommodation for workers would attract many people who would otherwise not be able to afford to rent rooms in the wider Chichester area (Havant, Selsey, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) and would also drastically reduce their transport costs.
Not specified
The Government has tasked Growers to grow more home grown produce, increase productivity, reduce food miles and the UK’s reliance on imported food. There is also an increasing need for space to grow plants, shrubs and trees. These aims can be achieved; however, the Horticultural and Food Industries need Local Planning Policies to be in place that enables sustainable development. To this end, more flexibility is needed in the current CDC Local Plan - Horticultural Policy to meet the needs of the Horticultural sector.