Locals asked for views on Chichester Tannery redevelopment

Kinsted Homes – a joint venture between West Sussex County Council and Lovell Partnerships – is proposing to redevelop the Tannery site to the west of Chichester city centre and deliver a high-quality new residential community, providing much-needed housing on this vacant brownfield site.

Leather tanning operations ceased by the early 1960s and the present office buildings on the site have fallen into disrepair being no longer fit for purpose.

As a result of its 500-year history as a working tannery, the ground below surface level understandably contains remains of its working past. To enable the site to be made safe for future residential use, and to bring it up to modern safe standards, it must be remediated in its entirety. After this work, a variety of new homes will be crafted to the market needs. The new design has been created through the following principles:

· Making the site safe again for future use after centuries of former use as a tannery site.

· A central garden to be the heart of a new community.

· Recreating a Westgate frontage through a design informed by the previous buildings.

· Providing new homes and family dwellings to meet modern living standards.

· Making the most of opportunities to increase biodiversity across the site.

Councillor Jeremy Hunt, West Sussex County Council Cabinet member for Finance and Property, said:

“Through our joint venture with Lovell Partnerships we aspire to provide well planned, creatively designed and crafted new homes, maximising a lifestyle opportunity to enjoy everything Chichester and its surrounding areas have to offer, and support a sustainable and prosperous economy for the local community. I welcome the proposals brought forward from the architect Farrells, who have worked closely with us together with a carefully selected team of consultants”.

The consultation will run from 25 October to 11 November 2024 and will be hosted at thetannery.consultationonline.co.uk, with an in-person public exhibition being held from 16:00-20:00 on 4 November at the Assembly Room at Chichester City Council offices.