Plans for new nursery school on outskirts of Chichester

The Little Blue Door nursery, which offers care for children from three months to four-years-old 'all year round', opened a school in Laburnum Grove in 2016.

Having been operating a waiting list since year two, the company wants to open a new nursery on the land adjacent to Hadrian Drive, Westhampnett. The development would also see a new residential block built, which would comprise two, two-bed flats with associated landscaping, access, and parking.

Nursery principal Lucy Davies said: "We believe Westhampnett is a great potential location for our second nursery as we will be able to support families living in the new homes of Madgewick Park, Roman Walk and Shopwhyke Lakes.

"In addition we would be ideally located to support the families of the popular March C of E Primary School as well as the team working from the Rolls Royce Head Office located opposite.

"We have a very experienced team of childcare professionals many of whom hold degrees in childcare, we even have a fully qualified Norland Nanny.

"We believe it is the quality of our team that sets us apart from the competition. We have been operating a waiting list since year two and would love to be able to extend our experiences to more families in Chichester "

The Little Blue Door has partnered with the planning and architect team at Smith Simmons & Partners, based in West Pallant.

The principal said the aim is to design a 'really inspiring space' that will 'support our mission of Developing Little Minds', adding: "Having recently launched our Forest School, headed up by Chloe Reed, we are excited to be working on this project."

The site is located within a recent estate development known as the Roman Walk Estate, comprising around 100 dwellings.

According to the planning documents, the aim of the proposal is to make an 'efficient and effective' use of the land, which has remained undeveloped after it was originally reserved for a public house as part of the wider Roman Walk development.

The planning statement said the site is located within an existing housing estate on land, 'which no longer needs to be reserved for a pub/restaurant use'.

The new nursery would be based near an area of public open space – the village green – which includes an equipped children’s play area.

A spokesperson for the developers added: "Its location provides convenient access to a range of local services and amenities with direct connections provided to the pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

"The proposal offers a development which will complement the locality’s predominant residential land use, be appropriate in scale and also be in keeping with the character and amount of development in the vicinity of the site.

"Furthermore, the proposed buildings, the site’s layout and the associated scheme of hard and soft landscaping will be of a design which responds to the site’s location and will make full use of this previously developed land.

"There are no other adverse impacts arising from the development that would outweigh the benefits in providing additional housing and a community facility to provide childcare for local people."