Gypsy and traveller pitches in Sidlesham approved

The site, in Chalk Lane, is already home to four other pitches and the council is facing three appeals after plans for a total of 14 pitches were refused.

The decision to allow two pitches to be set up on land just to the west of the nursery means one of those appeals will now be dropped.

The third pitch will be set up when a derelict greenhouse on the nursery site has been demolished.

All three pitches will include a mobile home, day room, two parking spaces – one with an electric vehicle charging point – a free-standing solar array and space for a touring van.

At a meeting of the planning committee, concerns were raised by Donna Johnson (Local Alliance, Sidlesham & Selsey North) who said Sidlesham already had 11 pitches, which she called a ‘disproportionate’ amount considering the size of the village.

But she was the only dissenting voice and both applications were approved.

The meeting was told that a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment in 2019 found Chichester needed 94 pitches pitches, 66 of which should be in place by 2023.

Since 2018, only 23 have been provided, leaving ‘a substantial unmet need’.