Seven Home Build Refused By Chichester District Council

Plans to build seven homes in Southbourne have been refused by Chichester District Council.

The application from Junnell Homes Ltd, for land at Tuppenny Barn, in Main Road, was turned down by the planning committee, against the advice of officers, on Wednesday (August 6).

It was a close call – three votes for and three against – with the final say going to chairman Charles Todhunter (Lib Dem, Loxwood), who voted against the plans.

Many of the committee were torn on how they would vote on what has proved to be a contentious issue for the village. Parish councillor Amanda Tait said the scheme was ‘literally dividing the community and damaging friendships’.

The land is currently used as an orchard and forms part of the wider Tuppenny Barn Education charity site, run by Maggie Haynes.

She and her ex-partner bought the land 20 years ago, each owning half. With the charity unable to afford to buy him out, Maggie spent six years working on an agreement that would be best for the charity with the least loss of land – one-third of the overall site.

She said the scheme was ‘critical to preserving the long-term future of the charity’.

While there was plenty of sympathy for the charity’s position, only planning issues could be considered when deciding the application.

Ward member Oona Hickson told the committee:

“The development would encroach into the countryside, it would adversely impact on the setting of the natural landscape.

"The proposal would add seven houses with no affordable provision so is no benefit to the local community and is, in fact, quite the opposite.”

Stephen Johnson (Lib Dem, Harbour Villages) shared the concerns about building outside the settlement boundary in an already narrow landscape gap.

Describing the benefits as ‘relatively limited’, he added:

“It seems to me that this is a small encroachment but, once permitted, you can’t go back.”

Donna Johnson (Green & Local Alliance Group, Sidlesham & Selsey North) said she had been ‘conflicted’ over the plans, adding:

“I don’t feel that this development will cause undue harm. It is a sympathetic development and, in context, I don’t feel it is unreasonable.”

Other councillors felt that the loss of the orchard detracted from the work of the charity – though Ms Haynes assured them that new homes had been found for all 122 fruit trees.

Flooding was another concern – a problem faced by people living in nearby Parham Close – though officers were confident the Tuppenny Barn site would not be affected.

The application was refused on the grounds of harm to the setting of the national landscape, erosion of the landscape gap, and lack of a S106 legal agreement.

To view the application, log on to publicaccess.chichester.gov.uk and search for 24/01236/FUL.