A massive development, but is it good for Chichester? We have been involved in the planning Forums. A summary of the planning application is given below, with a picture of early developments on site. We spoke in favour of the proposal when it was approved on 11 March.

We have also been involved in discussions with ZeroC developers and have agreed with their proposals and those of the MoD to retain the historic keep and a large proportion of the open space.

The Society has joined the Conservation Area Advisory Committee in campaigning against redundant signs and the swarm of A-boards which clutter our streets. We also continue to struggle to keep Chichester District Council to their own guidelines which include painted fascias only, inclusion of street numbers and the banning of hanging signs in main streets and of illumination. We may be losing on the requirement to paint frontages, but the line is being held on hanging signs and illumination. This may seem petty, but consider the awful example shown, from Manchester.

Under the last government, rigid targets were imposed and every council had to produce a Local Development Framework to match these targets. There is now a chance for local planning, and we have urged CDC to think again, not least because of the inability of infrastructure (the Apuldram sewage works and the A27) to cope with existing pressue>

Our view on local planning

Some infilling is appropriate (one site considered is in the picture), but too often there is gross overdevelopment and little consideration for the effect on neighbouring streets. Pressure has been eased by the recent change in planning rules so that back gardens are no longer prioritised for development as 'Brownfield land' but applications do continue. Read our policy below and look at a couple of recent letters to CDC. Do write in to the newsletter editor via the Secretary if you have an opinion. Address on the 'Contact Us' page.

A typical letter to CDC Planners on garden grabbing

A typical letter to CDC Planners on neighbourhood disturbance

We are also concerned about the wholesale buying-up of houses for conversion to multiple occupation. One recent example proposes to take an ordinary 3-bed semi and turn it into 5 flats with only one bathroom between them! We want the District Council to have a clear policy on the appropriate proportion of 'Houses in Multiple Occupation' for different areas of the city before allowing more conversions.

Our Newsletter campaign under this heading has apparently shamed owners into action in tidying up behind the Post Office, taking the scaffolding off the Bedford Hotel (picture) and refurbishing the flint cottage in Northgate opposite the car park. Our next target is unrepaired road signs!

We are very happy to report that the recent major campaign in which we took part, to prevent gravel digging at Lavant with its associated proposal to drive a continual stream of heavy lorries through the city, has been successful.

Membership of the Friends of Bishop's Palace Gardens (picture) resulted in the re-design and re-furbishment now completed by the District Council.

The Society is also represented on the Walls Group which is responsible for managing the Heritage Lottery Fund grant. The most obvious sign has been the community dig which uncovered a previously unknown bastion (photo) but work on repairing sections of the Walls has now begun in earnest

We are also delighted that the District Council has now approved a policy of allowing hanging signs in side streets, with the aim of decreasing the number of obstructive A-boards. We have been urging the adoption of this policy for some time now.