Selsey gypsy and traveller site proposed next to industrial estate

An application for six pitches off Ellis Square have been submitted to Chichester District Council.

The site is a rectangular plot of unused scrub land in the northeast corner behind Manor Lane.

The plans have already prompted a wave of objections from residents, who described how the town’s infrastructure is ‘already at breaking point and cannot support the residents we currently have’.

A number of them highlight how the land is in a designated industrial business area and raise concerns with flooding and the capacity of the sewage network.

One objector said: “The land is designated as an industrial (light) and business area. With the huge and ongoing growth in the population of Selsey, new businesses and jobs are essential and the land should not be changed to a ‘residential’ use.”

Another added: “With the number of houses that have been built and are being built in Selsey it is vital that there is land available for business growth in order to support the economy within Selsey. This also supports travel on the one road in and out of Selsey as if businesses have somewhere to grow this would increase employment opportunities and decrease the cars travelling outside of Selsey.

“Allowing this application to go through would also set a precedent for other businesses in the same area to also convert to a residential status. This would be disastrous for the economy within Selsey and would halt any business growth in the area. It would also discourage businesses from keeping their operations within Selsey.”

To comment on the plans visit www.chichester.gov.uk/planning using code 20/00829/FUL.

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