Plans for 87 new homes in Runcton refused

The hybrid application, from Landlink Estates Ltd, sought full permission to build 26 homes on the site – complete with a new access from Lagness Road, drainage and landscaping – as well as outline permission for a second phase of up to 87 homes.

A design statement submitted by the applicant said the development would have provided a mix of accommodation, from one-bedroom starter homes through to five-bedroom family homes, with 30 per cent of the housing being classed as affordable.

Chichester District Council had received more than 70 letters of objection to the plans.

The main causes for concern were the aesthetic impact on the area, the loss of agricultural land, the increase in traffic and congestion on the Lagness Road, the lack of health and school infrastructure and the risk of flooding on Marsh Lane.

One objector wrote: “Charman’s Field is a piece of prime agricultural land which should be maintained for local food production.

“This land is not earmarked for development on the Chichester Local Plan, and this application represents an opportunistic submission by developers totally out of keeping with the area.”

Oving Parish Council in a statement said: “The development could overwhelm the community both in Runcton and Merston.

“It would increase the dwellings in Runcton’s number of dwellings by 50 per cent.

“Because the proposed site is flat and open, the visibility of Marsh Lane and Lagness Road would be significantly altered.

“Heritage assets, in particular the Grade I listed St Giles Church would be within the visual impact of the development.

“The development would remove the visual separation between the green houses and the village.”

To view the full application visit Chichester District Council’s planning portal using the reference: 21/02573/FUL