Date set for appeals on Funtington planning developments

A public hearing is due to take place on January 31 in respect of several proposed developments on the land south and south west of Beachlands Nursery on Newells Lane in Funtington.

The hearing is set to conclude on February 1 at the Council House in Chichester.

Appeals have been made against applications: 19/02939/FUL, 20/00950/FUL, 20/00234/FUL, 20/00956/FUL and 20/03306/FUL.

These applications include ‘Use of land for the stationing of a caravan for residential purposes’ and another for the ‘stationing of caravans for Gypsy Travellers’.

All previous applications for the site on Newells Lane had been refused by Chichester District Council.

The application 20/00956/FUL had 34 letters of objection from the general public.

One objector, Mrs Sarah Fizer said: “These planning applications when taken together gives the potential for the Scant Rd and Newels Lane sites to increase enormously from 45 to 76 sites an increase of 69 per cent, and with other ongoing applications in West Ashling to a total of 84 Gypsy Sites.

"This is an extremely large number of Gypsy sites to expect a small village community with no major community facilities to support."

Funtington Parish Council also objected to the plans and in a statement said: “The site proposed, if permitted will effectively join up traveller/gypsy sites in Newells Lane with the sites in Scant Road East and West Ashling Road, making these three sites one enormous settlement, with no supporting infrastructure.”

For more information about the appeal visit Chichester District Council’s website.