The impact of development on the A27 Chichester Bypass

The A27 is a key strategic transport corridor (Para 4.13) and uniquely at Chichester also is a distributor road for local traffic with five junctions and a set of traffic lights on a three-mile stretch. It competes with through traffic and its impact, as Para 4.13 acknowledges. The volume of through traffic has also increased historically and will continue to do so over the next Plan period and should equally be catered for. This cannot be the sole responsibility of CDC and the effects of its future Local Plan, as Para 4.13 seems to suggest. It is to stretch the interpretation of NPPF 110d in the extreme as appears to be National Highways’ intent.

The May 2023 National Highways Initial Overview Report for the South Coast Central Route Strategy in Section 05 ‘Challenges and Issues’ indicates the pressing need for a solution. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/RS-South-Coast-Central This is not new: the similar 2017 Highways England South Coast Central Report indicated the same serious levels of the same issues (serious accidents and excessive travel delays due to congestion) six years ago. Only one of the five junctions has since been upgraded (Portfield) with questionable results.

This provides a further demonstration that a proper A27 scheme for Chichester in RIS 3 (2025-2030) urgently needs to be pursued through the local MP with the SoS for Transport (not with National Highways).

4.14 Actual data for Fishbourne available in the uploaded report by Fishbourne PC

The A27 key strategic corridor and a distributor road for local traffic with five junctions and a set of traffic lights on three-mile stretch Competes with through traffic. This cannot be the sole responsibility of CDC and the effects of its future Local Plan, as Para 4.13 suggests. Stretching the interpretation of NPPF 110d in the extreme: appears to be National Highways’ intent. Section 05 of https://nationalhighways.co.uk/RS-South-Coast-Central ‘Challenges and Issues’ indicates the pressing need for a solution. indicated before in 2017. A scheme for Chichester in RIS 3 needs to be pursued through the MP with the SoS.

The A27 at Chichester is a strategic corridor (Para 4.13) and a distributor road for local traffic; with five junctions (two provide the only access to the Manhood Peninsular) and a set of traffic lights over a 3-mile stretch. Highways England (2017) and National Highways (2023) recognise the importance of relieving the congestion at these junctions and maintaining traffic flow, but they cannot be made the sole responsibility of CDC. To alleviate increasing congestion CDC must gain unequivocal support from its MP to raise the with the SoS the critical need to secure a scheme for Chichester in RIS 3.

On behalf of our clients, Rydon Homes Ltd we hereby provide comments on the draft A27 Chichester Bypass Mitigation SPD. Please find attached the completed representation forms which set out the basis of our objections together with suggested modifications.

Our objections are made in light of a current planning application that has been submitted by our clients for land to the north-west of 56 Stane Street (Rohan Stables), Halnaker for 26 dwellings (CDC ref: BX/23/02169/FUL).
The comments draw on expert transport advice provided to our clients by RPS Transport which is set out in the enclosed Technical Note.

Our clients object to the requirements placed on developments arising from the proposals
set out in the SPD for the reasons set out in the four enclosed representation forms.

We trust that the representations are clear and that the District Council will consider
these carefully as part of the ongoing consultation process.