What is the Local Plan?
The Local Plan provides the broad policy framework and a long-term strategy to manage development, protect the environment, deliver infrastructure and promote sustainable communities within Chichester District (excluding the area within the South Downs National Park) to 2029. Once adopted, all planning applications will be assessed against the policies in the Local Plan.
The existing plan was the subject of review in 2014 by an Inspector appointed by the Planning Inspectorate taking account of submissions from various bodies including the Chichester Society (whose views on the outcome can be viewed here).
Following examination and recommendations from the Inspector’s Report (May
2015) the Chichester Local Plan: Key Policies 2014-2029 document was formally adopted by the Council on 14 July. The Local Plan document itself can be viewed here.
The validity of the Local Plan in respect of housing delivery provision expired in July 2020, since when developers have submitted a large number of opportunistic large-scale planning applications – see summary in our Newsletter no 210 December 2021
The Local Plan Review (LPR) – see Timeline – is still underway with transport studies that need agreement with WSCC and National Highways and feedback from the Planning Inspectorate before a further public consultation on the LPR is held.
In the meantime Chichester District Council’s is relying on the Interim Housing Policy Statement to guide the process of how to determine planning applications.
They have now reached the point where they can show that they have a 5 year housing land supply This improved position strengthens their ability to protect the area against inappropriate development. And they are hoping that a reduced housing number could be accepted owing to a lack of finance to improve the required infrastructure.
Update November 2022: CDC will decide on the Local Plan’s content during January 2023 and this will be followed by an 8-week public consultation. The draft Plan will then be sent to the Planning Inspectorate with all the comments. From that date ‘Regulation 19’ status applies, meaning that appeal decisions will follow the revised Plan.