®Planning appeal decision
Plot 12, Land North West of Premier Business Park, Birdham Road, Birdham, Chichester, PO20 7BU
Planning appeal 3218777 at Plot 12, Land North West of Premier Business Park, Birdham Road, Birdham, Chichester, PO20 7BU (Chichester District Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 22 July 2022 by Inspector Steen A, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the developments conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
without planning permission, change of use of the Land to use as a residential caravan site
- Authority
- Chichester District Council
- Appeal type
- enforcement · Enforcement Notice
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- caravan-gypsy · Minor traveller and caravan pitches
- Inspector
- Steen A
- Postcode
- PO20 7BU
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the developments conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- whether other material considerations would outweigh any harm that might arise from those main issues, such as: the need for Gypsy and Traveller pitches; and the personal circumstances of the appellants
- whether the developments are in a suitable location in terms of their location in respect to adjacent settlements
- the effect of the development on the Chichester and Langstone Harbours Special Protection Area in which the sites are located
What decided it
The harm to the landscape and scenic beauty of the Chichester Harbour AONB, carrying great weight, was not outweighed by the unmet gypsy and traveller need or the appellant family's personal circumstances.
The great weight given to harm to the AONB outweighed the significant weight attached to the unmet need for gypsy and traveller pitches and the appellant family's personal circumstances (including the best interests of the children), so the balance tipped against the development and in favour of dismissal.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy 36Policy 43Policy 45Policy 48Policy 4Policy 15Policy 55Policy 2Policy 13Policy 39Policy 9Policy 1Policy 50
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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With an account
What an account adds to this decision
More decisions in Chichester
The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2022
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- Notice varied and upheld3 August 20263372472Littlemead Business Park, Tangmere Road, Tangmere, West Sussex, PO20 2EU
- Notice varied and upheld28 July 20263328291Grists Farm, Hunston, Chichester, PO20 1JL
- Dismissed15 June 2026334231995 First Avenue, Batchmere, Chichester, PO20 7LQ
The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.