Land east of Priors Orchard, Inlands Road, Southbourne, Chichester, West Sussex, PO10 8JZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposed development on the provision of gypsy and traveller accommodation in Chichester.
• Whether there is a five years supply of housing land in Chichester (outside the National Park).
• The effect of the proposed development on sites of nature conservation importance.

What decided it

The absence of a five-year housing land supply engaged the tilted balance, and with no adverse impacts identified—including no harm from loss of the inaccessible gypsy site and no adverse effect on the protected nature conservation sites once mitigated—the benefit of additional housing outweighed any residual policy conflict.

With no adverse impacts identified against the benefit of nine additional dwellings, the tilted balance under paragraph 11(d)(ii) of the NPPF tipped decisively in favour of granting permission, consistent with the development plan considered as a whole.