Supplementary Planning Document on the A27 Chichester Bypass Mitigation

Chichester District Council is consulting residents on how to fund improvements to the A27 to support increases in traffic.  See www.chichester.gov.uk/currentplanningpolicyconsultations

The Proposal

National Highways has advised that to cope with the cumulative impact on the A27 of current and future development in the south of the district, improvements (mitigation measures) are needed to the Fishbourne and Bognor roundabouts. The estimated cost is £43.3 million.

In the absence of funding by central government, local funding of highways is found from contributions by developers. The District Council is holding £16.25 million secured from earlier developments. The balance of £27 million would be provided from new developments within the Local Plan in the period up to 2039 amounting to 3551 dwellings. The baseline for new development would be set at January 2023.

The average contribution from each dwelling, an increase on the rate set by the 2016 Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), would be £7623 on a sliding scale of £3,849 for a single bedroom to £12,197 for a four- bedroom dwelling.

Under the 2016 SPD, developer contributions varied between £1374 and £5914 per dwelling depending on how far the scheme was from the A27 bypass.

Under the proposed mitigation plan (see www.chichester.gov.uk/thelocalplantransport) there would be a priority route through each roundabout with feeder arms controlled by traffic lights. The work would take several years to complete.

Additionally, under the new SPD, to reduce car- based trips and relieve pressure on the highway, a Traffic and Infrastructure Management Group will develop measures to improve sustainable modes of transport such as buses and cycle routes.

 Alternatives considered

1. Rely on the 2016 SPD.

But this wouldn’t provide sufficient funding for the improvements to be made and would result in worse congestion not only on the A27 but on the highway network feeding it.

2. Wait until the new Local Plan is adopted before revising the 2016 SPD.

But as there is a cap on new development from January 2023, the delay would entail a further increase in developer contributions on homes permitted under the new Local Plan, to meet the shortfall.

What the Parish Council thinks

The Oving Parish Planning Committee meets on Thursday October 26 at 18:45 to determine its response.