Developer updates plans to controversial 300 home proposal in Bosham

Developer Barratt Dave Wilson Homes has updated its proposal for a 300 home development in Bosham after the original plans were deferred.

The application, for land north of Highgrove Farm, Main Road, was discussed by members of Chichester District Council’s planning committee during a meeting on November 9 where a decision was deferred for more information. More than 200 written objections opposing the plans have been submitted by members of the public. The recommendation to defer came from Councillor Roy Briscoe who said the council had received photographs showing that the site had flooded.

Decision on 300-home Bosham development delayed due to flooding concerns

In its updated plans, developer Barratt David Wilson Homes said: “These updated plans also take into account a meeting with the officers of the planning policy team from Chichester District Council which have also set out the direction of travel for the council with the emerging Local Plan.

“We have sought to incorporate as many of these amendments to accord with the direction of the Revised Local Plan to ensure accordance with emerging policy; however, Barratt David Wilson Homes reserves their position in respect of the weight to be attributed to each matter, given the emerging policy has yet to progress to Examination Stage and your own Officers concurred that the document has little weight at present.”

The updated plans include changes to the amended location of sports pitch and ball stop fencing and the reduction in allotment sizes and car parking provision.

The developer continued: “We noted concerns raised by members of the planning committee in respect of the location of the junior sports pitch which was provided at the request of Chichester District Council. In response to these concerns being raised, we have located the pitch adjacent to the northern boundary of the railway line, with the appropriate offset to be considered acceptable by Network Rail.

“To bolster the safety measures in this location, we are also erecting a ball stop fence along the northern boundary of the pitch to ensure no safety conflicts arise between the proposed pitch and Network Rail operations.

“Following on from the Committee debate, we noted that Members raised concern over the larger sized allotments which exceeded the minimum requirements generated by the 300 dwelling development.

“On this basis, we have now reduced the allotment sizes down to the minimum policy compliant size to reflect the discussions at Committee.

“We have also reduced the supporting car parking provision to reflect the reduced size of allotments which has the commensurate benefit of reducing impacts of open air car parking in this north west corner of the development.”

Other plans amended in the updated proposal include a pavilion enlargement, street tree provision and the inclusion of custom-build housing.

The updated plans were, however, objected to by Bosham Parish Council which said: “Bosham Parish Council maintains its objection to this application. In particular we note that Southern Water have not yet updated their response to deal with sewage capacity generated from this development and note the number of hours of surcharges of waste water into the harbour, an international protected site.”

To view the full application visit Chichester District Council’s planning portal using reference: 21/00571/FUL.

For more on the Local Plan see ‘Chichester Local Plan sets new housing target and improvements to two A27 roundabouts’