Welcome
Welcome to our public exhibition which sets out the detailed proposals by Miller Homes and Vistry Group (the developers) for the second part of the West of Chichester development.
Miller Homes is one of the nation’s most respected homebuilders. For over 85 years, they have established a reputation for building outstanding quality family homes and providing forward-thinking customer service. As an experienced homebuilder they bring a significant and broad skill set ensuring that their developments are of a high quality and fully sustainable.
Vistry Group is the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed tenure homes. Their purpose, as a responsible developer, is to work in partnership to deliver sustainable homes, communities, and social value, leaving a lasting legacy of places that people love. They sell homes on the open market through three respected brands: Bovis Homes, Linden Homes, and Countryside Homes.
Phase 1 – Nearing Completion
The first phase of the West of Chichester site, consisting of 750 new homes, a new local centre, significant areas of public open space and associated infrastructure, was permitted in 2018 and construction is now almost complete.
Phase 2 – Coming Forwards
The Outline application for the remainder of the West of Chichester site was approved in July 2024. The second phase includes proposal for:
- 850 homes within a broad range of types and sizes including 30% affordable housing;
- employment provision,
- new Northern Country Park,
- extended community facilities and primary school,
- new playing pitches,
- additional allotment space,
- provision of the Southern Access Road.
The outline approval establishes the framework and parameters for the development of Phase 2. It also granted permission for the Southern Access Road (SAR) in detail, including the link to the existing West Gate Road.
The developers are now moving forward with the detailed ‘reserved matters’ applications which fix, amongst other things, the design and layout, precise housing mix and the materials used in construction.
Current Consultations
This exhibition has been arranged to give the local community an opportunity to review, discuss and provide feedback on the proposals ahead of the preparation and submission of the reserved matters applications later this year.
This website and consultation will cover:
- Background on the approved outline framework plans and indicative masterplan for the Phase 2 proposals
- Overview of the proposals for the new Northern Country Park
- An overview of key elements of the reserved matters proposals, including housing, energy, landscape, drainage, and transport, focusing on the first residential phases
There will be an opportunity to provide feedback on the detailed proposals either via the feedback form, or via the contact details listed at the end.
Background
Allocated for development in the Chichester Local Plan
The Chichester Local Plan designated the site for a new community featuring 1,600 homes, along with supporting facilities and employment opportunities. Chichester District Council’s emerging Local Plan retains the site allocation. This important site will make a critical contribution towards the Council’s housing supply at a time of acute housing need.
The approved development proposals were based on a comprehensive masterplan for the entire site. This masterplan was shaped by extensive community engagement, including workshops, focus groups, and public exhibitions. The goal was to create a new, sustainable community that would benefit from various services and facilities to support residents and provide much-needed housing for Chichester and its surrounding areas. The site was designed to enhance sustainable connections to the city centre via bicycle and public transport, improving residents’ access to Chichester’s numerous local facilities, services, and employment opportunities.
What has happened on site already?
Phase 1 included a significant portion of the on-site community infrastructure, such as a primary school, retail spaces, a community centre, sports facilities, and a new southern country park. Phase 1 also included off-site highways improvements to enhance junctions affected by the development. By delivering community and highways infrastructure early, a thriving community will be established by the time Phase 2 is developed.
The framework for the development of Phase 2 has been established by the Phase 2 outline permission granted by Chichester District Council in July 2024.
A selection of the approved parameter plans for Phase 2 are presented on this board which the forthcoming reserved matters applications will need to adhere too.
In addition, the outline application approved the details of the Southern Access Road connecting Phase 1 to West Gate Road in full detail.
The Phase 2 proposals extend the primary school and community centre provision; they will provide additional allotment spaces; feature a lit artificial sports pitch to the west of Centurion Way for community use and also provide additional play spaces within residential areas and a “play on the way” trail, sitting alongside 850 much needed new homes, of a range of tenures, types and sizes including 30% affordable homes.
The first elements brought forward will be the first residential phases and the northern country park and these elements are the focus of this current exhibition.
Northern Country Park
The area north of the B2178 will be transformed into a new Country Park approximately 11.6 hectares in size. The aims for the country park can be summarised as follows:
- To provide an attractive and accessible Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANG) to help direct walkers away from the more sensitive coastal habitats to the south of Chichester
- To compliment the conservation objectives and aims of the adjacent Brandy Hole Copse – an important local nature reserve – and the Chichester entrenchments – a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
- To provide important biodiversity improvements to help achieve biodiversity net gains for the project as a whole.
The draft proposals for the new northern country park are based on meeting these mutually supporting objectives. The park will be thoughtfully landscaped to enhance ecological benefits while offering appealing recreational paths within a naturalistic environment.
The Northern Country Park will have two pedestrian entrances from Old Broyle Road, linking to the Phase 1 SANG open space and its associated car park via a new crossing point over the Road. It will play a crucial role in the SANG provision on site, featuring recreational paths for dog walkers and native meadow planting to support farmland birds. Its links to the open space provision on phase 1 will also extend the network of recreational routes around the site.
The main paths will be accessible all year round. Appropriate seating will be placed at regular intervals, and signage at key entrances will inform the public about the parks facilities and the ecological sensitivities of the nearby East Broyle Copse and the history of the Chichester Entrenchments. The western field will remain as an existing grassland area and habitat for reptiles.
Whilst the outline approval provides a framework for its design, we are seeking the communities views on what they would like to see in the design of the country park and welcome input via the feedback form, details of which are provided below.
The First Parcel
The layout has been informed by the approved framework for Phase 2 and the emerging Design Code that will seek to define the variation in character of the development both in terms of urban form, architectural design, landscape and street hierarchy. The overall ambition is to create a logical and legible sequence of streets and spaces that provide distinctive character but are respectful of Phase 1 and the emerging context.
Below are the draft detailed plans for the first residential phases.
Energy Sustainability
The proposals will also meet a water consumption standard of a maximum of 110 litres per person per day, including external water use.
The proposed dwellings will be designed to be efficient and sustainable to reduce their environmental impact and improve their sustainability whilst aligning with the energy hierarchy.
Some potential Design Measures include:
Energy Efficient Fabric
a fabric first strategy emphasising thermal efficiency of buildings;
Reduced Air Permeability
A low target air permeability rate will reduce heating demand;
Natural daylighting
Designing proportions and distribution of glazing to ensure good levels of daylight, helping to reduce electricity consumption through artificial lighting;
Solar Control
Design measures to minimise risk of summer overheating with use of natural ventilation, solar controlled glazing and effective external shading;
Passive Ventilation
Natural Ventilation offers several benefits over mechanical ventilation (zero energy consumption and low maintenance);
Energy Efficient Lighting Fittings and Systems
In non-residential spaces, intelligent zoned dimming systems will be considered to reduce artificial light when it gets bright outside;
Highly Efficient Heat Generation Equipment
to provide space heating and domestic hot water;
Local Heating Control
Using intelligent thermostatic sensors;
Enhanced Pipework Thermal Insulation
Beyond requirements of relevant standards, to reduce distribution losses;
SMART Energy Metering (Heat and Power)
to be provided in all units;
Air Source Heat Pumps
to provide more sustainable modes of heating;
Solar PV
to reduce energy demand;
EV charging points
to every property to support the transition to electric vehicles;
Solar Street lighting
to reduce electricity demand on the grid.
Phase 2 will surpass Phase 1 in terms of sustainability, featuring housing that meets the National Described Space Standard throughout and the latest Building Regulations that require a significant increase in energy performance compared to those that were in effect for the development of phase 1.
Landscape and Building design
Initial street scenes are presented above, that show how Miller could bring forward the architectural style in line with the emerging design code principles, with more contemporary and simplified features along the spine road and more rustic aesthetic to the green edge frontage, which follow the principles of Phase 1.
Landscape Strategy
The landscape proposals for these two parcels will provide an integration into the wider development, enhancing connectivity and green infrastructure. The spine road will feature a structured avenue of trees, creating a defined streetscape, while additional street trees will soften the residential environment and strengthen links across the site
New Play Areas
A Local Area for Play (LAP), designed for younger children, will be located within the residential setting, providing a safe and engaging play space. A larger Locally Equipped Area for Play (LEAP) will be positioned for easy access, benefiting from the established character of mature vegetation to the south, offering both natural shelter and an enriched play environment.
Public Open Space
To the north, a key open space element of this phase will serve as an important link to the existing SANG network established in Phase 1. This green corridor will extend recreational opportunities and biodiversity benefits, ensuring a cohesive landscape strategy across the development.
Technical Considerations
Sustainable Drainage
The Phase 2 development is in flood zone 1, indicating low tidal and fluvial flood risk. The approved Flood Risk Assessment shows low risk from surface water, groundwater, and sewerage. The drainage strategy builds on Phase 1, with residential flows from Phase 2 stored in the Phase 1 basins, located in the Southern Country Park, serving both phases.
The Phase 2 development will incorporate sustainable drainage measures (SuDS) such as permeable paving and basins to keep surface water run-off rates at current greenfield levels. The system will connect into the existing ditch network around the site and be designed to protect, and where possible, enhance the ecology around the ditch network. Surface water will be discharged towards existing watercourses running through the site.
The foul water produced by Phase 2 will be piped to new foul sewers located within the roads which in turn will connect into the new foul water pumping station which will pump sewage to Tangmere Wastewater Treatment Facility utilising the recently constructed Southern Water pipeline that runs north of the city.
Sustainable Transport
The Southern Access Road connecting the Phase 1 site with Westgate Road, south of Bishop Luffa School, has been approved in detail. At outline stage, the traffic affects of the development were also agreed by the highway’s authority and Chichester District Council and suitable mitigation, to incentivise lower car use, has been secured. The design of the Southern Access Road and traffic impact of the development are not therefore a matter for consideration at this stage.
The prioritisation of walking and cycling, whilst still providing for vehicular access, will be embedded into the design of each of the parcels, with roads designed to encourage low vehicular speeds and facilitate safe walking and cycling. The proposal will also take opportunities to provide pedestrian and cycle links to create a permeable layout that prioritises sustainable travel modes.
The proposals will also be provided with appropriate parking facilities in line with adopted parking standards, including access to EV charging, in order to meet the needs of residents whilst not allowing parking to become a dominant feature of the street scene. The proposals will also be carefully checked to make sure roads are design to provide space for refuse and emergency vehicles to navigate the site.
Ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain
Miller Homes and Vistry Group are committed to achieving an overall Biodiversity Net Gain on site and this is a requirement of the Phase 2 outline permission. The site has also been regularly surveyed for protected species and further surveys, as required, will be undertaken to support the detailed proposals now coming forward.
The proposals will include a range of measures to protect and enhance biodiversity on site. Some of these measures include:
- New meadow and wildflower planting within open spaces, including the northern country park.
- Significant new tree planting within the development parcels and new open spaces.
- Integrated bat and bird roosts in at least 50% of properties and in a selection of woodland trees.
- Strategically positioned planting and low light zones to maintain important bat foraging corridors and create a network of connected bat routes.
- Log pile habitat for invertebrates, also enhancing foraging opportunities for badgers’ reptiles, hedgehogs and bats
- Hedgehog holes and homes to provide migration routes and habitat.
The public open spaces, including the new country park, will play an important part in achieving an overall biodiversity net gain on site, whilst also protecting important coastal habitats from increased pressure from recreational use.
Virtual Exhibition
Next Steps
The next steps will be to consider your feedback, refine the proposals and then submit reserved matters applications to Chichester District Council for their consideration. We anticipate submitting the first reserved matters applications for the first parcels of residential development and the northern country park in Spring 2025.
If approved, it is currently anticipated that development would begin on Phase 2 in late 2025 or early 2026.
Feedback
Thank you for taking the time to view this exhibition and we hope that you have found it useful and informative. Before finalising the forthcoming reserved matters applications, we will carefully review all the feedback received and take it into account when finalising our proposals ready for submission.
We would be grateful if you take a moment to complete the feedback form.
Paper copies of the feedback form can be available on request at the public exhibition or by emailing westofchichesterpart2@slrconsulting.com
The deadline for submitted feedback is midnight on the 21st April 2025.
If you have any separate questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email on westofchichesterpart2@havingyoursay.co.uk.
A member of the team will get back to you.