Developers win appeal to build 70 new homes in West Wittering despite opposition

Welbeck has succeeded in its appeal to an independent planning inspector to overturn the refusal of Chichester District Council to allow the homes on land off Church Road to be built.

Residents from across the Manhood Peninsular had previously packed the West Wittering Memorial Hall on March 1 to fight against the proposals.

Representatives from the Witterings, Bracklesham Bay and Earnley spoke out over the plans which they said came as the whole area was already had more new homes than was originally planned and that the additional proposed homes were unsustainable.

But developer Welbeck contested Chichester District Council’s local plan - which acts as a development blueprint - and criticised its five year land supply plan.

The appeal by the developer was overturned by an independent planning inspector citing that he developer make provisions for the delivery of affordable housing, including the provision of first homes.

In the statement allowing the appeal the independent planning inspector said: “It also makes provision for open space, a play area and a landscape buffer at the site, along with a management company to maintain the managed land within the development.

“The agreement also makes provision for sums to be paid towards improvements to the A27 and for a sum to be paid to monitor the Travel Plan.

“These measures are necessary to mitigate the effects of the development on the wider highways network and I am satisfied that they are directly related to the development and are fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.

“Finally, the agreement also makes provision for a habitats mitigation payment to be made to enable works to be carried out to mitigate the effects of the development on the Solent Maritime SAC.

“This payment is necessary to mitigate the effects of the development and to make the development acceptable in planning terms.

“Having regard to the precautionary principle implicit in any consideration of the effects of development on nature conservation sites of this type,”

“I am also satisfied that the payment is proportionate and so is fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.”

To view the full application visit Chichester District Council’s planning portal using the reference: 20/02491/OUT