Controversial plans for 199 new homes in Southbourne approved

Development has been approved for the new homes to be built on the land North of Cooks Lane in Southbourne.

The controversial housing development was approved in principle in 2020.

Originally the proposals were rejected in 2018 by Chichester District Council on the basis of that the development of the would be ‘directly contrary to the adopted policy and the principle of the plan-led planning system’.

But the developer successfully appealed to the independent planning inspectorate which overturned the council’s decision in March 2020.

The latest planning application proposes to provide a mix of housing approximately of five per cent one bedroom houses, 30 per cent two bedroom houses, 45 per cent three bedroom housing and 20 per cent four plus bedroom houses.

The application was also supported by Southbourne Parish Council.

However the application was met with opposition with one commenter being in ‘utter dismay of the proposed plans.’

Mr Lez Brotherston, from Nutbourne, said: “It is with continuing dismay that I see more and more applications to develop the green fields around Southbourne.

“It’s a suggested development that would be detrimental and would change the very nature of Southbourne village.”

The reasons for objection were also echoed by Mrs Joan Skynner.

She said: “I would like to object to the proposed development land North of Cooks Lane, Southbourne.

Cooks Lane East as it stands is already a bottleneck, the Lane is barely wide enough for two cars to

pass each other, there are no footpaths nor street lighting.

“The junction of Cooks Lane/Priors Leaze Lane is very constrained leading almost immediately to a blind bend which has access to a public footpath across land to the north, starting in the middle of the bend.

“This public footpath would lead to the new development, and with the likelihood of 400 plus new residents having access to it, I feel the safety issue for everyone hasn't been fully considered.

“Building 199 new homes into an area that doesn't have the infrastructure to support safely our pedestrians/cars/delivery vans/cyclists and horse riders, means the plan hasn't been thought through beyond the housing plan itself.”

To view the full application visit Chichester District Council’s planning portal using the reference 22/00157/REM