Outline plans submitted for 280 new homes in East Wittering

The plans would see a development of 280 new homes with a mix of one to four bed properties, and 20,000 square feet of floorspace for retail or community units on Stubcroft Farm in East Wittering. The homes will include some shared ownership and rented accommodation.

The proposal also seeks permission for the construction of a 45-bedroom sheltered living scheme, which would be located adjacent to Church Road towards the northern end of the development with parking.

The shelter would include a mix of one and two bedroom apartments. The apartments would be sold by the applicant with a lease containing an age restriction which ensures that only people of 60 years or over, or those of 60 years or over with a spouse of partner of at least 55, can live in the development.

The development on the farm would be accessed via the creation of a new single access point onto Church Road.

Improvements along Church Road are also being proposed to the existing gateway feature and pedestrian crossing provide an improved pedestrian crossing for residents of Sandpiper Walk.

The outline plans have already been met with some opposition from residents.

Mrs Geraldine and Mr Paul Harrington from Tower Place in West Wittering said: “Why oh why? Planning on such a large scale both sides of Church Road, not only takes the beauty of open fields away, it will effectively make approach to East Wittering Village no more than a concrete jungle!”

“Surely previous objections should have been listened to but obviously not.

"Again, the infrastructure of the area is not suitable,

“Transport, doctors, dentists, sewage, holiday extra visitors , this is basically, as was originally intended, a small village, it is now almost bordering on a town which still in the isolated position of being on a Peninsular which by all accounts with sea levels due to rise as indicated by environmentalists will eventually be taken by the sea.

“This all goes down to not hearing peoples views and sense, but being led by developers, builders, etc and it's about time objections were taken seriously.”

The concerns were also seconded by Bracklesham resident Mr Alan Woodard who said: “It has reached a point where the area's infrastructure is unable to cope due to population growth and a lack of regulation on new housing.

“The area already cannot cope - but applications are for more homes to be built.

“MOT studies show that for every 180 houses constructed within a area road traffic increases by an estimated two per cent.

“Concerns centre around traffic congestion, sewage management and environmental impacts.

“Much of the dispute focuses on what residents believe is Chichester CC's lack of control over the construction of new housing.

“The area already cannot cope - but more applications from the likes of Seward Homes arrive .

“Residents feel the council is not being sufficiently stringent in controlling housing growth.

“We have had years of blind eye planning.

“We have reached a saturation point where the peninsula's infrastructure simply can't cope.'

“The population has grown massively yet we have the same infrastructure we had back in the 1950s.”

To view the full application visit Chichester District Council’s planning portal using the reference: 22/02214/FULEIA