3.5

The spatial strategy needs to be placed on hold until the above is achieved.

The spatial strategy is premature as there are on-going talks regarding the upgrading of the A27 through developer contributions and no opportunity has been given to developers and local experts to test the recently published climate change flood risk map.

Until this has been done a strategic layout which best reflects the Council's objectives cannot be decided upon.
To achieve a more sustainable district more reliance should be placed on East Wittering and Selsey to may them more sustainable and less reliant on Chichester. This would reduce traffic along the A27. Enlarging small settlements along the West/east corridor will place more pressure on the A27 and Chichester.

Berkeley support the principle of the strategic policies and, in particular, their purpose in setting out the development needs of the district and the spatial strategy. Berkeley have a number of comments on these policies, which are set out below.

Berkeley support the principle of the strategic policies and, in particular, their purpose in setting out the development needs of the district and the spatial strategy. Berkeley have a number of comments on these policies, which are set out below.

The strategy should change to make clear a priority is to provide growth in those areas with a choice of sustainable transport modes - especially areas with a train station and those with a regular bus service

The spatial strategy is flawed as it fails to prioritise those areas with a choice of sustainable transport modes.

Time theses issues were addressed and not whitewashed over.
The idea that this plan meets these promises in this area is a distortion of the facts. The plan should state that there will be detrimental impacts to all of these environmental issues and that the CPO will decimate the area.let’s be honest !

The plan for Tangmere Hub does not have assurances relating to flooding, protection of environmental designations, the landscape quality or the historic environment and settlement character.
This broad brushing gives no reassurance that these issues will be catered for.
No mention of the Tangmere Conservation Area Consultation 2014 which states
‘Any development to the South or West of Tangmere must respect the views and rural character of Church Lane’
‘ Traffic’ was identified as ‘ …Major issue in keeping the village as it is . A relief road … to divert traffic from the old village centre is very necessary.’

Suggests a more positive and strengthened policy within the Spatial Strategy in relation to the environment rather than solely constraints. This should include the opportunity to restore, enhance, or create priority biodiversity areas and contribute to the delivery of the upcoming Local Nature Recovery Strategy which will be a mandatory requirement of CDC during the timeline of this Local Plan.

Para 3.5 (p.33-34) outlines the range of factors informing the Local Plan’s Spatial strategy, including:
‘Environmental constraints – taking a sequential approach to avoiding flood risk areas, protecting environmental designation, landscape quality, the historic environment and settlement character’
The RSPB would like to see more positive and strengthened policy within the Spatial Strategy in relation to the environment rather than solely constraints. This should include the opportunity to restore, enhance, or create priority biodiversity areas and contribute to the delivery of the upcoming Local Nature Recovery Strategy which will be a mandatory requirement of CDC during the timeline of this Local Plan.
The RSPB supports other policies within the Local Plan which address the above need for landscape recovery and connectivity, such as Policy NE4 (Strategic Wildlife Corridors) which has the potential to provide a focus for habitat connectivity and enhancement across the district.

SWT wants this section of the draft plan to demonstrate more clearly how the spatial strategy is enabling nature’s recovery. The plan should seek to demonstrate how the delivery of the Nature Recovery Network and the more localised Local Nature Recovery Strategies are going to be incorporated in the spatial element of identifying allocations for development. This would be consistent with section 179 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2021.

See attached representation.

Include sustainable access and water neutrality (specifically SNWRZ) to list of factors.

See attachment.