Planners refuse plans for 22 traveller pitches in Sidlesham

The Melita Nursery site, in Chalk Lane, already contains more than 40 mobile homes despite only having permission for nine.

The retrospective application to extend that permission to 22 was voted down unanimously during a meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday (May 7).

The council’s planning enforcement team is already taking action over the number of mobile homes on the site.

That aside, the reasons for refusal included: the entire site is at risk of future tidal flooding, over-development of the site, harm to biodiversity and bats, and a shortage of information about surface drainage.

A report to the committee said: “While the council’s unmet need for gypsy and traveller accommodation is a significant factor in favour of the proposal, the layout would lead to an overdeveloped site with a poor internal layout, would fail to provide satisfactory living conditions for gypsy and travellers, and would not provide an acceptable level of amenity for the future residents.

“The development also fails to protect the site’s ecology and biodiversity.”

It added: “When taken collectively the adverse impacts of the proposed development would significantly outweigh the benefits.”

To view the application, log on to publicaccess.chichester.gov.uk and search for 25/00814/FUL.