Environmental Assessment requested for 85 house development in Southbourne

The new development would be sited on the land north of Penny Lane in Southbourne.

The environmental assessment would relates to the regular shaped agricultural field located immediately to the north of the existing settlement of Hermitage, where the 85 house development would be built.

The application has been met with some objections from the general public.

The Rev DA Hider from Emsworth wrote: “85 houses to be built on a field that has just been harvested of a cereal crop much needed to help the nation?

"Surely, this cannot be allowed, whatever the perceived demand for housing by greedy developers and District Councils.

"The resources for the area are already far too overstretched whether it be demand for doctor’s appointments, school places, road space, water and sewage resources and so on.

“And, does there not have to be a formal request for change of use for the land anyway?"

Mr Clive Hayler also agreed, writing: “I am writing to object against the proposed development of 85 new dwellings on the land north of Penny Lane.

“As a local resident, I am both dismayed at the application but also the impact the development will have on the local area.

"The application and connected reports are outdated and littered with inconsistency even down to the number of dwellings with some reports proposing 85 and others stating 99?

“In addition to the sub-standard planning application, it appears a number of the material considerations have been over looked or point to factually inaccurate data and information from which a conclusion has been formed.

“It must also be noted that as part of the Southbourne local plan this site had been ruled out as a result of the flood risk, traffic management and location to service facilities notwithstanding the degradation of wildlife corridors.

"This precedence should therefore inform the decision to immediately reject this proposal, for an alternative solution, as directed by the local plan.”

To view the full application visit Chichester District Council’s planning portal using the reference: 22/02061/EIA.