Plans to build car park on Chichester green space permitted despite huge objections

The application was submitted in October last year and featured plans to construct a 40-space car park area for temporary event parking on Havenstoke Park in the grounds of Graylingwell.

Since being submitted to the district council, the plans have received huge backlash from Chichester residents with nearly 300 people lamenting the proposed loss of amenity and biodiversity in the park.

One objection comment came from William and Susan Barnes who wrote: “This open space is used by many local residents including us and our family as a wonderful natural open space for walking, picnics etc. There are less & less open spaces within the City of Chichester to enjoy the freedom of open recreational areas.

“Continuous developments within the City boundaries are reducing the opportunity for individuals to get away from the constant hassle of traffic, noise, crowds and inevitable pollution of our natural environment.”

Clare de Bathe, CEO of Chichester Community Development Trust said: “At CCDT we remain committed to preserving the integrity and sanctuary of the park, and we know how important it is to local residents and those who walk there regularly. We understand that the delivery of the pitches and the car park is part of the city wide sports plan, and that the developers had an obligation to deliver them as part of their S106 commitment, and we will ensure the pitches can be used for community development, in the way that we have supported teams such as Graylingwell Girls team that already plays there every Sunday supporting the continued uptake of sport for school-aged girls, whilst minimising the impact on other park users. As with all that we do, we will put the community at the heart of our the work that we do on the park.”

The car park plans relate to another application to build rugby pitches on the land. Other objectors referenced the nearby Oaklands park ruby fields.

Ian and Hannah Hayden said: “Having such a beautiful park on our doorstep was one of the deciding factors for us when we moved to Graylingwell in March 2016. We enjoy using the park daily for its peace and tranquillity. It is a huge benefit to our physical and mental well-being.

“Adding a 40 vehicle car park will significantly increase the traffic and noise, which is currently very minimal. There is ample parking available at the Chichester Rugby Club, just across the road from Havenstoke Park. There is no need for formal sports pitches given the proximity and availability of other underused facilities.

“The proposed plans would have a profoundly damaging impact on the wildlife, with around 42 per cent of the park being taken up by the plans.”

What do you make of the plans? Get in touch: [email protected]