A planning application has been submitted seeking permission to completely transform the site with 750 new 'eco-homes', community facilities, a school, shops and transport links onto the former hospital site in the north of the city.

"Knowing the hopes, aspirations and concerns of the community is fundamental to our being able to deliver a successful development," said David Ashworth from English Partnerships, which is disposing of the site.

Key to the development is the creation of around 750 new homes ranging from one-bedroom to five-bedroom – 40 per cent of which will be 'affordable' homes to rent or buy.

Historic buildings such as the water tower, the home of Black Beauty author Anna Sewell, the church and the farm buildings will be refurbished and reused.

The formal plans follow a series of consultation events with English Partnerships, developer Linden Homes and Downland Housing Association
meeting members of the public and listening to their views.

The outline planning application submitted to the district council now seeks permission for the principle of the development, before a more detailed design application is lodged.

Regional managing director of Linden Homes, Paul Cooper, said: "Graylingwell is a great site with huge potential.

"We recognised early on in the process that the only way to do Graylingwell justice would be to find a way to recognise the site's history while working with local people to decide the site's future.

"The plans we will be submitting represent our vision of the fantastic
community Graylingwell will become. We are grateful to the local community for working with us and are proud of the plans."

Although hundreds of new homes will be built on the former hospital site, a cautious welcome has been given to the plans which will not push the city's boundary further into the countryside.

"Although the society has some reservations about encouraging Chichester to grow yet more, there is no doubt that the demand for houses exists, and that government policy dictates that houses will be built," said secretary of The Chichester Society, David Wilson.

"In these circumstances, the society think it is much better for the future of Chichester that development should occur on a site which is compact and close to the city centre, than that the city should be allowed to spread and become part of a vast conurbation stretching from Brighton to Southampton."

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