Gypsy and traveller pitches next to Selsey industrial estate refused

An application for six pitches on a rectangular plot of unused scrub land off Ellis Square had been submitted to Chichester District Council.

The plans prompted a wave of objections from residents, who described how the town’s infrastructure is ‘already at breaking point and cannot support the residents we currently have’.

A number of them highlighted how the land is in a designated industrial business area and raised concerns with flooding, the capacity of the sewage network traffic congestion and impact on nearby residential properties.

More than 200 letters of objection were received and council officers have now refused the application.

Since the land is allocated for employment, the officers suggested there was not sufficient evidence to demonstrate the site was not required for business use.

They added: “The loss of employment land would be damaging to the economic viability and vitality of the district as a whole, but would be particularly damaging to the local economy of the town of Selsey.”

Officers also noted how no site specific flood risk assessment had been provided, a lack of soft landscaping and amenity space for each pitch would result in a ‘cramped layout’, no protected species surveys had been undertaken, while there was insufficient detail to show the proposal would not have a detrimental impact on the amenity of neighbouring residential and commercial properties in relation to noise, light and odour.

In its objection, Selsey Town Council said: “The town council do not accept that the alternative commercial uses of the site have been fully explored. “Further the loss of this employment generating site to a form of residential use in conflict with adjoining uses and in contrast to other established residential uses in the locality is detrimental to the proper planning of the area.”

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