ChiSoc object to new late venue in Terminus Road

Comments on applications, Planning

An application was lodged by Mr Kieran Stanley in March relating to the property ‘Feather and Black’ in Terminus Road to create  “a Dinner Dance Show Experience with Live Shows and Late night Music to be enjoyed by all ages and families” designed for all types of celebrity acts. Opening times for restaurant, dining and leisure use envisage from 12:00 (13:00 on Sunday) to 03:00 every day.

The Society’s Executive Committee would welcome the provision of a major venue in Chichester and believe there is an opportunity to provide this in a purpose-built facility within the Southern Gateway Regeneration Area close to a rebuilt City Transport Hub. However they were of the opinion that this Terminus Road property is not suitable for this purpose and would be better utilised for relocating the bus depot and post office to
free up the Southern Gateway site.

Their specific objections were:

  • The hours of operation and the large audience numbers will cause a noise and behavioural nuisance for residents.
  • This property does not offer adequate parking nor acoustic insulation.
  • The proposed use would clash with the recently permitted change of use to a church at the adjacent Ambulance Station.
  • There are not adequate or believable studies submitted regarding fire safety, acoustic performance, and the traffic plan of the proposed use with the large audience numbers.

Full details of the application and of responses from the public can be found here 

Post Views: 320

Rousillon Park housing development wins an award

Buildings

Hard on the heels of the Government’s announcement of the establishment, amid much controversy, of its ‘Building Better. Building Beautiful Commission’ came the news that the Housing Project of the Year under the British Construction Industry Awards for 2018 had gone to Rousillon Park in Chichester, the site of the former military barracks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The project was commissioned by Homes England and designed by architect Ben Pentreath and adopts a traditional street layout that responds to the historic street patterns within Chichester. A narrow, gridded street pattern links a series of green public spaces. Built on the site of the town’s military barracks, brick predominates but with the occasional use of the local grey sandstone and Sussex flint.

The architectural language adopts the scale, proportion and materials of traditional town houses, but is designed to feel intentionally contemporary in its restraint, with more modern detailing of elements such as doors, windows and railings. William Smalley Architects also worked on the design of houses.

Construction commenced in 2012 and the site was completed in 2018.

(Thanks to Stuart Tappin for referencing the item in the Ancient Monuments Society Newsletter and to Ben Pentreath for information from their website)

Post Views: 389

Chichester Proposed Parking Management Plan – the Society’s Response

Parking, Planning, Roads

The Chichester proposed parking management plan went out for consultation earlier this year and related to the earlier Roadspace Audit study which can be found here.

The study included various recommendations relating to parking and it to these that the Chichester Society has responded. Members of the Chichester Society’s Executive Committee visited the various displays and discussed the substance of the study. Their response has been submitted and can be found here.

 

 

Post Views: 403

Chichester Camera Club – A Celebration of People and Places

Local history

The Club celebrated its 125th anniversary this year with an exhbition which was hosted at the Novium Museum in March.

In this article by Amy Roberts and Portia Tremlett (first published in the December 2018 isue of the Chichester Society’s Newsletter) explore a fascinating history since Chichester Camera Club, first known as Chichester Photographic Society, was formed in 1893.

The early years

To begin with, the Photographic Society met weekly, organised lectures about new photographic techniques and equipment, and arranged excursions to places such as Midhurst, Hunston and Arundel. Monthly and annual competitions were held. Categories for entries included Seascapes and Landscapes, Architecture, and Lantern Slides.

Some members of the Society were prominent local citizens including George Turnbull who was an Alderman and also Mayor from 1909 to 1912 and again in 1919. He was a member of the Society until at least 1939 when he would have been around 85 years of age.

Members of Chichester Photographic Society about 1900-1910.
George Turnbull, Chichester’s Mayor 1909-12, is at back left
with the camera (hoto: The Novium Museum.)

The First World War took its toll of both the membership and its activities, and in 1917 meetings were abandoned. They were resumed, however in 1922 when a notice appeared in the paper in the rather formal style of the period inviting both LADIES AND GENTLEMEN to attend a meeting at the Technical Institute on North Street with the intention of restarting the Society. This led to weekly meetings, regular excursions and lectures. The Society moved to new premises in 1928 at Flint House in South Street. There they held an exhibition of old photographs taken by former and current members.

The society continued to flourish in the 1930s and competitions improved in quality and quantity of entries. 1938 saw an innovation in the way competitions were judged. Until this time entries had been assessed by fellow members but this changed and entries were passed to an external expert for judging. During the Second World War the Society met only twice in the two years 1940 to 1942. It seems fuel rationing greatly limited their efforts to organise excursions. By 1945 they had left their premises in South Street and placed their possessions in store.

A new beginning

Members of the Society did not meet again until 1949 when they emerged from the war years with a new name – the Chichester Camera Club. The club met fortnightly now at the Methodist Hall in the Hornet. The first post-war exhibition was held in 1950. Since then the Club has thrived. It is now recognised as one of the most successful photographic clubs in the country with a reputation for excellent photography and a programme of visiting speakers, competitions and social events. Anyone with an interest in photography is welcome.

Post Views: 400

Chichester Parking Management Plan – public consultation

Parking, Roads

The timescales for the consultation has been updated with a delay of a few days.

Key changes to the consultation timeline include:

 The consultation start date is revised from 25th February to 1st March (at which point the online consultation page will also be made live)

  • A press article is scheduled for release by 24th February
  • 25th February exhibition at the Swanfield Community Centre revised to 25th March between 2pm and 8pm
  • 27th February exhibition at the Chichester Baptist Church revised to 20th March at The Old Courtroom, Chichester City Council Offices between 10am and 4pm
  • 1st and 2nd March exhibitions at The Old Courtroom, Chichester City Council Offices between 10am and 4pm as originally planned.
  • Informal consultation finishes after 4 weeks on 31st March as originally planned.

This matter relates the Council’s Road Space Audit for which the final report can be viewed here

Post Views: 284

Good by Design – The view of the Horsham Society – so what is ours?

Local Plan, Planning

‘Good by Design’ is the Horsham Society’s views on what constitutes good design in Horsham. It combines and expands content from the Horsham Town Design Statement adopted by Horsham District Council in December 2008 and from the Design Protocol of Chichester District Council, December 2013. Click here to view their document.

The notes are intended as guidance as to what the Horsham Society is looking for and are  intended as starting point and the employment of judgement and evaluation are very much matters for the observers themselves.

So what are our views on such matters for Chichester?

The Chichester Society, through its Executive Committee, recently made known its views on the Chichester District Council’s Local Plan Review (the Review is available here).

In particular in relation to ‘ Section S20 – Design’ (reproduced below from the Review)  ‘ChiSoc welcomed this additional policy and supported its purpose in the Plan

Policy S20: Design

All proposals for new development will be required to be of high quality design that:

  1. responds positively to the site and its surroundings, cultural diversity and history, conserves and enhances historic character and reinforces local identity or establishes a distinct identity whilst not preventing innovative responses to context;
  2. creates a distinctive sense of place through high quality townscape and landscaping that physically and visually integrates with its surroundings;
  3. provides a clear and permeable structure of streets, routes and spaces that are legible and easy to navigate through because of the use of street typology, views, landmarks, public art and focal points;
  4. is well connected to provide safe and convenient ease of movement by all users, prioritising pedestrian and cycle movements both within the scheme and neighbouring areas and ensuring that the needs of vehicular traffic does not dominate at the expense of other modes of transport, or undermine the resulting quality of places;
  5. incorporates and/or links to high quality Green Infrastructure and landscaping to enhance biodiversity and meet recreational needs, including public rights of way
  6. is built to last, functions well and is flexible to changing requirements of occupants and other circumstances;
  7. addresses the needs of all in society by incorporating mixed uses and facilities as appropriate with good access to public transport and a wide range of house types and tenures
  8. is visually attractive and respects and where possible enhances the character of the surrounding area in terms of its scale, height, density, layout, massing, type, details, materials,
  9. provides a high standard of amenity for existing and future neighbours, occupiers and users of the development;
  10. creates safe communities and reduces the likelihood and fear of crime;
  11. secures a high quality public realm with well managed and maintained public areas that are overlooked to promote greater community safety, with clearly defined private spaces;
  12. ensures a sufficient level of well-integrated car and bicycle parking and external storage;
  13. is sustainable and resilient to climate change by taking into account landform, layout, building orientation, massing and landscaping to minimise energy consumption and mitigate water run-off and flood risks.
Now it’s your turn!

We would welcome your views on such design issues whether on major developments or ones that affect a particular locality. You may do so via our contact page. However before doing so you might like to consult the full Local Plan Review here

Post Views: 510

ChiSoc responds to the Local Plan Review

Local Plan, Planning, Railway

Having considered the content of the Review document the Society has filed the following comments and suggested changes on development principles, transport strategy, design, the Southern Gateway and land allocation.

Please refer to the original document here for background to the comments

On Policy S13: Chichester City Development Principles

  • ChiSoc welcome the minor changes proposed which include the protection of views of the cathedral. Please note the duplication of the policy on the city’s existing heritage, arts and culture

On Policy S14: Chichester City Transport Strategy

  • ChiSoc propose the following additional measures are included:
  • Replacement of the level crossings in Basin Road and Stockbridge Road by an underpass or bridge
  • Safeguarding of land to enable the expansion of the Chichester railway Station, its tracks and platforms, from 2 to 4 to enable a fast train service
  • Safeguarding of land close to the A27 for a future “park and ride”
  • Safeguarding of land close to the A27 for a “consolidation centre” for break bulk delivery to city retail units.

On Policy S20: Design

  • ChiSoc welcome this additional policy and support its purpose in the Plan

On Policy S23: Transport and Accessibility

  • ChiSoc welcome this additional policy and support its purpose in the Plan.
  • It especially welcomes the proposed New road connecting Birdham Road to A27 Fishbourne roundabout (see Policy AL6), known as the Stockbridge Link Road when first proposed by Highways England as part of Option 2b in the 2016 Consultation.

On Policy AL5: Southern Gateway

  • ChiSoc propose the following changes are made:
  • In site specific requirement number 3 we propose “3. Respect for the historic context, have regard to that part of Southern Gateway that lies within the Conservation Area and to the Listed Buildings and Heritage Assets, and make a positive contribution towards protecting and enhancing the local character and special heritage of the area and important historic views, especially those from the Canal Basin towards Chichester Cathedral;
  • We propose to add as site specific requirement number 4 “provision of a bridge or underpass to allow the removal of the level crossings on Stockbridge Road and Basin Road”
  • We propose the removal of paragraph 7

On Policy AL6: Land South-West of Chichester (Apuldram and Donnington Parishes)

  • ChiSoc supports this new policy, and its land allocation.
Post Views: 727

Draft Local Plan Review and Transport Study

Planning

THE LOCAL PLAN AND REVIEW

The Preferred Approach version of the Chichester Local Plan Review has now been published for  consultation as part of the preparation of the Chichester Local Plan Review, for the Chichester plan area (outside the South Downs National Park). The consultation period for the Chichester Local Plan Review – Preferred Approach (Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012) ran from 13 December 2018 to 7 February 2019.

The document can be viewed here Local Plan Review 2016-2035

THE TRANSPORT STUDY

Peter Brett Associates (PBA) was commissioned to undertake a transport assessment to inform the preparation of the Chichester Local Plan Review (LPR) 2016-2035.

The Transport Study can be viewed here Transport Study

Amongst other considerations within the study it ranked the 6 junctions along the A27 in the following priority of construction:

1 Fishbourne Roundabout
2 Bognor Road Roundabout
3 Portfield Roundabout
4 Oving Junction
5 Stockbridge Junction
6 Whyke Junction

Post Views: 469

Council has extra housing allocation ‘dumped’ on it by SDNPA

Land, Planning

Chichester District Council (CDC) explain on their website that : “changes to the way the Government requires us to calculate future housing needs means that we now plan to build at least 650 new homes each year in the Local Plan Area, up to 2035”.

(This is not a proposed development – merely indicative – like a cartoon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Planning Policy requires CDC to accommodate only 609 new homes each year; however, in addition, they are under a duty to add an allowance “for accommodating unmet need arising from the Chichester District part of the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA).”

The SDNPA have a shortfall  of 41 dwellings in what they say they can accommodate resulting in an additional 41 dwellings being added to the CDC figure making 650 new dwellings each year.
We question this decision because CDC has so little space on which to build all these houses.

To the north lies the SDNP, to the south lies the Chichester Harbour AONB and then the Manhood Peninsula which is part of the southern coastal plain. The southern coastal plain has some of the highest grade agricultural land in the country comprising highly productive brick earth strata and a climate suited to early ripening crops.

How can the SDNPA fail to provide sufficient space for their own housing needs despite towns such as Midhurst needing to expand?
Post Views: 529