Allocate additional land.

Site submission - Land to the West of Stoney
Meadow, North Mundham. 225 dwellings.

These representations are made on behalf of our client, the Bell Family who wish make
representations to the Chichester Local Plan 2021 – 2039 Proposed Submission Regulation 19 Version.
Background
Our clients own approximately 37.8 acres of farmland to the west of Stoney Meadow which is edged
red at Appendix 1. The land has been promoted at all relevant opportunities to Chichester District
Council and North Mundham Parish Council but they wish to confirm to Chichester District Council
and the Inspector that the land is available for development should they consider North Mundham as
an area for growth.
Site suitability
The North Mundham Settlement Policy Boundary is being amended to now include the development
at Oakdene Gardens and Stoney Meadow to the east. As mentioned, Henry Adams have promoted
the land on behalf of the landowners at all opportunities and the most recent HELAA suggested that
the land is developable for 225 units under ref. HNM0019 subject to further detail relating to access,
drainage, landscape and archaeology.
The site is split into 3 distinct sections by tree belts, which enables phasing of the land should the
whole of it not be developed. There is also defined landscape boundaries on all sides, restricting views
into the site. The land has no significant natural constraints other than being in the Chichester and
Pagham Harbours SPA buffer zones. To the east of the site on School Lane is a Grade II Listed Building
and to the north east is an area of woodland, covered by a Tree Preservation Order (Local Planning
Authority reference 70/00730/TPO).

Policy S1 & H1
Policy S1 of the Draft Local Plan sets out the spatial development strategy for the District and how the
Council will achieve sustainable growth over the plan period. Policy H1 sets out the housing target in
response to the strategy. Both policies have been informed by the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) dated
January 2023 and the Plan objectives, which are set out at paragraph 2.5.2 of the SA and the Council’s
HEDNA (April 2022).
The Local Plan then goes on to constrain housing numbers due to an alleged capacity concern along
the A27 strategic road network. The Council therefore result in a constrained housing figure by virtue
of the standard method ‘steps’ and also due to infrastructure capacity.
In terms of the influence of the A27, this is the key matter that constrains growth within the southern
part of the District. This is based on the Transport Study (2023) concludes that the road network
cannot accommodate an annual housing figure of more than 535 dpa. This is a fundamental point
and one that our clients do not agree and believe there is capacity to accommodate at least the local
housing need within the highway network, alongside potential improvements identified for the
following reason.
The Transport Study (January 2023) is the key document on which the Council rely upon to constrain
their housing figure to 535 dpa. On review of this document, it is clear that the Council’s consultants
undertook a sensitivity analysis as to whether the core scenario that supports the 535 dpa position in
the local plan could accommodate a higher level of growth. The conclusion in paragraph 5.6.5 and
11.2.3 of the Transport Study appears to be that 700 dpa could be accommodated (in the southern
plan area) by the mitigation proposed for the 535 dpa, with some additional (as yet undesigned and
not costed), mitigation works beyond those highlighted for the Bognor and Fishbourne roundabouts.
It is therefore our view that the figure of 535 should be seen as an absolute minimum and other land
should be considered to be allocated.