Here’s when march through Chichester in protest at overdevelopment is taking place

Huge proposed increases to housing targets being forced on the area by central government have been widely criticised in recent years.

The situation is made worse due to a large part of the district being in either the South Downs National Park or Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

With Chichester District Council’s local plan now more than five years old, developers are mainly focusing planning applications on the remaining area, either on the peninsula or in and around the harbour villages in and around the harbour villages.

However CDC has recently secured a five-year housing land supply.

A petition opposing the urbanisation threat facing these areas has been signed by around 5,000 people and campaigners want to present it to Secretary of State Michael Gove.

Campaigners said: “The government – and property developers – want to build thousands of new homes south and west of Chichester.

“But there are no new roads to cope with new traffic. There are no new jobs for the people who buy these new homes. There is no new solution for the sewage crisis we all face. New homes will make that crisis worse. All this in a place that the UN experts believe will be sea not land in a few generations.”

A ‘March for Manhood and Chichester Harbour Villages’ is planned for Saturday, January 29, starting in Priory Park at 10am, with a march to County Hall. There will then be speakers at 10.45am followed by the presentation of the petition. All are welcome.

Members of the public are responsible for their own actions and attend the march at their own risk. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Attendees are recommended to wear a mask, practice social distancing and take a lateral flow test before attending the event.

For more information, visit themarchformanhood.org