Chichester school's revised plans for parking

The school, based in West Street, has resubmitted plans for a parking scheme after Chichester District Council’s development control committee rejected it last autumn on the grounds it would harm the setting of Chichester Cathedral.

Instead, the school was asked to focus on implementing a travel plan and investigate how parking in the area could be best used to serve the school.

Prebendal’s travel plan committee carried out a survey among parents and staff in December but found parking was still needed for 55 parents who needed to drop off and pick up their children.

It has now reduced the times for parking on the corner of the playing fields in Avenue de Chartres. The times would be 8.15am until 8.45am and 3.30pm until 5pm, five days a week, 34 weeks a year.

It said the scheme would be strictly controlled by nominated staff who would open and lock the gates to prevent unauthorised parking. The school also said it would be willing to sign, if required, a legal agreement limiting parking to these times.

The plans said public parking options have been investigated but stated: “The problem remains of the need to provide safe, relatively-close pick-up and drop-off facilities near to the Prebendal School.”

Prebendal stressed the parking scheme was not for a permanent car park and would not affect the area’s main use as playing fields. It said the visual impact would be minor and not substantially affect the views of the cathedral and city walls.

The travel survey found 73 cars needed to park close to the school, ten of those for health and safety/access reasons. More car sharing has been arranged with a register of willing parents set up and minibus services are being arranged. Funding is also being sought for improved cycle storage to encourage more pupils to ride to school.

For information see www.chichester.gov.uk, the planning application number is 10/05519/COU.