Chichester Local Plan 2021 - 2039: Proposed Submission

Object

Representation ID: 4076

Received: 14/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? No

The Council has not engaged constructively with Chichester Harbour Conservancy. In the run-up to this consultation, there has been no dialogue to address the key strategic matters of housing provision, biodiversity, the landscape and setting of the AONB, etc. The Conservancy has not yet been asked to agree a Statement of Common Ground. This is all disappointing since the Conservancy is the Statutory Joint Advisory Committee for the AONB, yet we are not part of the plan-making process.

For clarification, the Chichester Harbour Conservancy are not one of the prescribed duty to cooperate bodies. They have been consulted at all stages of plan making.

Object

Representation ID: 4077

Received: 14/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

"There are 33 parish councils located within the Local Plan area, including six parishes which are also partly located within the South Downs National Park." Since this is a section on characteristics, why is the AONB not acknowledged?

Noted. It is considered appropriate to acknowledge the split of the district between two planning authorities. However, this does not in any way detract from the status of the AONB or the way in which the Plan responds to the AONB designation.

Object

Representation ID: 4079

Received: 14/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

"The coastal and harbour areas are important for biodiversity, recreation and tourism." This is a simplification. Are marine businesses not important to Chichester Harbour? Is the cultural heritage and gentle way of life not important? Is the landscape of the AONB not nationally important?

It is considered that read as a whole the spatial portrait (including the proposed additional wording to paragraph 2.21) reflects the matters referenced by the respondent.

Object

Representation ID: 4332

Received: 16/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

"New development must achieve sustainable development principles and must not adversely affect the character, quality, amenity or safety of the built environment, wherever it occurs." The Council achieve sustainable development and deliver Policy A11. The proposed A11 will adversely affect the character, quality, and amenity of Bosham and Chichester Harbour AONB. The text in Section 3.3 is inconsistent with Policy A11.

The housing distribution seeks to reconcile a range of factors in order to achieve the most sustainable approach to the distribution of development. This is set out in more detail in the Sustainability Appraisal and Housing Distribution Background Paper.

Where potential adverse impacts of development have been identified, it is considered that these are not insurmountable and could potentially be mitigated. Development proposals will be subject to the requirements of the natural environment policies and site specific requirements set out in the site allocations policies.

Object

Representation ID: 4333

Received: 16/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

"New development must achieve sustainable development principles and must not adversely affect the character, quality, amenity or safety of the built environment, wherever it occurs." The Council cannot achieve sustainable development and deliver Policy A11. The proposed A11 will adversely affect the character, quality, and amenity of Bosham and Chichester Harbour AONB. The text in Section 3.3 is inconsistent with Policy A11.

The housing distribution seeks to reconcile a range of factors in order to achieve the most sustainable approach to the distribution of development. This is set out in more detail in the Sustainability Appraisal and Housing Distribution Background Paper.

Where potential adverse impacts of development have been identified, it is considered that these are not insurmountable and could potentially be mitigated. Development proposals will be subject to the requirements of the natural environment policies and site specific requirements set out in the site allocations policies.

Object

Representation ID: 4334

Received: 16/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

"Land at Highgrove Farm, east of Broadbridge, Bosham is allocated in the Site Allocation DPD 2014 - 2029 for 50 dwellings." This planning application has lapsed. Shouldn't the allocation of 50 dwellings be deleted, to be replaced by a proposed allocation for 295 dwellings?

As set out in the Local Plan Appendix H, the allocation (Policy BO1) made in the Site Allocation DPD has been ‘saved’ for continued use.

The reasoned justification to Policy A11 (Highgrove Farm) makes clear that development of the larger allocation will need to take account of and seek to integrate with this extant allocation.

However, it should be noted that permission has now been granted on appeal (21/00571/FUL) for 300 dwellings and supporting infrastructure on the land comprising site allocations A11 and BO1.

Object

Representation ID: 4336

Received: 16/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Chichester Harbour Conservancy Objects to Policy A11, A12 and A13, for reasons that will be explained in response to each individual policy. It is difficult to accept this is sustainable development.

The housing distribution seeks to reconcile a range of factors in order to achieve the most sustainable approach to the distribution of development. This is set out in more detail in the Sustainability Appraisal and Housing Distribution Background Paper.

See also responses to the respondent’s representations to the individual site allocations.

Support

Representation ID: 4337

Received: 16/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Chichester Harbour Conservancy recognises climate change as one of the biggest threats to the AONB. Where the Conservancy may have objected to previous schemes in terms of the landscape impact, it is recognised that such a position is no longer sustainable. The Conservancy would broadly favour the installation of renewable energy measures along the east-west corridor (within a 25 year time frame), rather than turn existing farmland into housing.

Support and comment noted

Object

Representation ID: 4340

Received: 16/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

"Chichester Harbour Conservancy's Chichester Harbour AONB Management Plan (the Management Plan)." This factually incorrect. It is not the Conservancy's AONB Management Plan. We prepare it on behalf of the Local Authorities, and is therefore Chichester District Council's Management Plan for Chichester Harbour. The other LAs are WSCC, HCC and HBC.

Suggested change to reference to the AONB Management Plan agreed. Amendment also proposed in relation to paragraph 4.9 to include reference to character and setting of AONB.

Support

Representation ID: 4368

Received: 16/03/2023

Respondent: Chichester Harbour Conservancy

This is a well written section. I am slightly concerned that it conflicts with A11.

Support and comment noted