Orchard St playing fields under threat from County Council

5.06.00pm GMT Thu 31st Jan 2008

The County Council is failing to raise enough funds from its surplus property to fund its capital programme. And its blaming District and Borough Councils in West Sussex for obstructing its development proposals.

Worryingly it states: "While generally our approach will continue to be to promote our land through the LDF process .... ". Should not the County Council expect always to work through the LDF process?

District and Borough Councils are now required by the government to produce a five year housing land supply. Within the Chichester District there is currently a shortfall of sixty nine houses a year.

The implications of the County Council's new policy - to use planning appeals as standard practice when it doesn't get its way - puts under threat sites such as the Orchard St playing fields from which the County Council hopes to raise £4m even though the District Council has not approved this site for housing.