Extra thousand cars a day forecast for North Bersted

The forecast by Bersted Parish Council came as its members carried on fighting to the last to stop farmland north of Chalcraft Lane being earmarked for 2,500 homes.

They said the housing development should instead be sited at Westergate.

A submission by the parish council's chairman, Brian Knight, and vice chairman, Brian Green, was among the thousands of responses received by Arun District Council to its land use proposals up to 2026.

Cllr Knight and Cllr Green gave 13 reasons why Bersted's land should be left untouched.

These included an increase in traffic congestion and a lack of work in the proposed development.

The 500 jobs expected to be created in the employment space envisaged compared badly to the 4,000 people likely to live in the new homes.

"Therefore, somewhere in the region of 3,500 people will not be working locally but will need to outcommute," said Cllrs Knight and Green.

"Even using a relatively conservative estimate of two people sharing a car, and the use of public transport, it is estimated that an extra 1,000 cars will be using the A259 and B2166 at rush hour."

This extra burden on the roads would worsen access to Bognor and, because the roads into the town centre could not be improved, create an island community surrounded by packed roads as well as cause an increase in pollution.

Building on the farmland would also wipe out hectares of important top grade farmland and add to the risk of flooding in an area with a high water table.

By contrast, Cllrs Knight and Green said seven reasons existed about why the development should be sited at Westergate.

It would improve the A29's links to the A27 and increase the accessibility to Bognor over the railway line to improve conditions for residents by getting rid of the level crossing with its polluting traffic queues.

"A cohesive community is created by taking traffic away from the A29 running through the village," they stated.

"Sustainable transport is possible because schools and the leisure centre are within walking distance and employment areas and the railway station at Barnham are within easy cycling distance."

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