Plans approved for Sidlesham traveller caravan site
Several objections have already been made
Plans to change the use of a patch of land in Sidlesham to a four-pitch traveller caravan site have been approved by Chichester District Council.
The application for land next to Melita Nursery, in Chalk Lane, was given the nod during a meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday (June 14).
There are already 11 pitches on the site.
The council received five letters objecting to the plans, as well as an objection from the parish council on the grounds of over-development.
The parish council also questioned the number of gypsy/traveller sites allocated to the village over the last few years, saying ‘it may be disproportionate’.
Concerns were also shared by Donna Johnson (Green & Local Alliance Group, Sidlesham & Selsey North), who said: “Sidlesham is more than just a collection of houses – it’s somewhere a strong sense of belonging thrives.
“This application threatens to disrupt that and we need to consider the longer term consequences of this application, which further expands a site which residents never envisaged would become so large.
“There is no doubt that this site is causing issues, with conflicts arising between the travelling and settled communities.”
The meeting was told that there was a ‘significant unmet need’ in the district when it came to gypsy/traveller pitches.
A total of 121 pitches need to be included in the emerging Local Plan 2021-39, with 82 to be delivered by the end of 2026.
On top of that, the council only has a 0.54-year supply of pitches across the district, when a five-year supply is required.
As such, planning officers felt it would be difficult to defend refusing such an application.
The application was approved by eight votes to one.
To view the application in full, log on to publicaccess.chichester.gov.uk and search for 23/00086/FUL.