Plans to build 66 new homes in village near Chichester approved

The application, for 8.5 hectares of land south of Lowlands, was given the nod by the planning committee on Wednesday (July 6).

Submitted by Sunley Estates Ltd, the hybrid plans included outline permission for a 3.5m wide footway/ cycleway link to West Sussex Alternative Provisions College as well as the reconfiguration of the college car park.

The application was deferred by the committee in September while information was gathered from the county council about the number of school places in the area and the impact new developments were having on the roads.

The meeting was told that, when it came to the school places, data gathered since December had shown a reduction in the birth rate.

As such, the county council withdrew its objection, saying there would be capacity at North Mundham Primary School for the children who move into the area.

A lengthy reply was also received from the county council’s highways team about traffic count data, cycle routes, and why Lagness Road (B2166) could cope with the extra pressure from the new homes.

Simon Oakley (Con, North Mundham & Tangmere) said: “I think this development is a very good example of the collaboration that can be achieved between developers, the community, the parish council and our planning officers.”

The development will be made up of seven one-bedroom flats, 14 two-bedroom houses, five two-bedroom bungalows, six two-bedroom flats, 23 three-bedroom houses, one three-bedroom bungalow, seven four-bedroom houses and three five-bedroom houses.

Fourteen of the homes will be classed as affordable, two will be shared ownership and four will be classed as First Homes, in accordance with new national planning policy.

First Homes can only be sold to first-time buyers and key workers at a minimum discount of 30 per cent.

They can’t be sold for more than £250,000.

There had been plans to add a covenant to the application preventing open space on the site from being developed in the future.

But Tim Russell, of North Mundham Parish Council, explained that was no longer necessary.

He told the meeting that the developer intended to transfer open spaces which did not make up part of the drainage system to the ownership of the parish council.

Not only would this allow the parish to preserve the land but it would give it the opportunity to provide a ‘safer pedestrian and cycling link between North Mundham and Hunston’.

If the transfer goes ahead as planned, the parish council would own the route of the current public footpath, the route of the footway/cycleway link as well as an ecological area and spaces designated for native woodland.

Mr Russell said: “We have taken legal advice on this matter and we have agreed we wish to take up the opportunity of owning the land.”

The issue of foul water drainage was raised by a number of councillors, with concerns that there would not be enough capacity at the treatment works to cope with the extra waste.

The meeting was told that Sunley Estates Ltd was already in discussion with Southern Water about its Lowlands site to the north, which receive planning permission for 29 homes in December 2020.