Chichester District Council
Agenda item

Agenda item

Masterplan for Tangmere proposing a mixed use development comprising up to 1,300 dwellings and supporting development.

The Committee is requested to endorse the broad approach proposed for the development of the Tangmere Strategic Development Location (SDL) as set out in the draft Masterplan dated November 2019.

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

That the Committee endorsed the report.

Minutes:

Miss Bell introduced the application. 

 

Additional information was provided on the agenda update sheet regarding an additional consultee response from West Sussex County as the Highways Authority and Chichester Harbour Conservancy, and further representations from a planning consultancy on behalf of one of the land owners of the site.  Corrections to the main report and appendix one were also listed.

 

Members discussed the value of establishing a masterplan, the positive achievements of developers working closely with the Parish Council, how the constraints of the land had been accommodated within the design, the proposal for no through traffic and early provision of spine road onto A27, single location of community facilities, cycle routes, provision of open space, over and above the standards, and school provision. 

 

Members further discussed that from a positive view no through traffic would avoid ‘rat-running’, the importance of providing facilities suitable for a number of community activities, that the early provision of access to A27 and driving routes to the surgery from all areas was vital, the appropriateness of the density of housing, the necessity of walking and cycling provision to the school, and opportunity to drop children safely at the school by car.  

 

Members sought further clarification regarding archeology, the time period of the bus subsidy, cycling facilities, trialing a through road/no through road, junctions types to minimize hedgerow loss, and introductions of ‘twittens’ to provide walking routes.  Mr Whitty advised that at this stage the masterplan provided a broad approach but it was helpful for the developers to hear Members views.  Currently an indicative cycle link was shown, but there would be further paths as the plans were developed.  With regards to archeology, significant work had taken place and any further discovery of archeology would not change the current layout, but preservation would be applied where possible.  Mr Whitty added that any applications submitted prior to the adoption of the new Local Plan would be based on current policy. 

 

Mr Bleakley confirmed that 1300 houses will be the final number and this would not increase.  With regards to the bus services Mr Bleakley advised that the subsidy would not be limited to one year and believed that there would be engagement with the bus company and the phased occupation taken into consideration to establish what might be required with regards to bus services. 

 

Mr Gledhill advised that with regards to access into the site from Tangmere Road, a roundabout has been indicatively suggested which in his opinion was suitable for a development of the proposed size, and design considerations as established by the outline application.

 

In response to a further matter of clarification regarding archeology, Mr Whitty confirmed that there had been some very significant archeological finds from the trial trenches, and there could be other finds but the view of the archeological officer was that the most significant finds are likely to have been located.

 

Miss Bell gave further points of clarification in relation to the primary school and that the developers are aware of the need provide drop-off points and pick-points which may have two different accesses to the school, and further explained that discussions would be taken forward regarding vehicle access to the surgery.  On the matter of archeology, over 80 trial trenches had been dug, and the masterplan had been amended as a result of continuous discussion and on-site survey.  Archeology of the most significant elements had been retained in-situ and the part of the open area expanded to accommodate these, with detailed recordings across the whole area completed, and the County’s archeologist involved at all stages.

 

Members further discussed the issue of the cycle-route ending at Sainsbury’s supermarket rather than the city centre, encouraging people to walk and cycle which may be supported by a no-through road, and the necessity to expand the capacity of the primary school.  

 

That the Committee endorsed the Tangmere Masterplan.

 

The Committee took a 30 minute lunch break.

 

Mr McAra left the meeting and did not return.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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