LETTER: Chichester Harbour needs to be preserved

I find it strange that the Harbour Conservancy are now so worried about housing applications in and around the harbour when they gave no support to Bosham residents in their protests about proposals for several housing schemes within the AONB over the past few years and we had to rely on a sensible independant inspector to save Bosham and the AONB from utter ruin.

Furthermore, we received no support from them when we were trying to stop the new hospice being built on a most unsuitable site within the AONB, with buildings totally out of keeping with those in Bosham.

It was, and is, completely the wrong site for the hospice which needs to be in a quiet position with easy access to the hospital.

The present site meets neither of these requirements.

Now, the Conservancy are worried about a small housing estate outside the AONB, which, if moved as far north as possible, would have no impact on views of the Downs from the harbour (in fact I have found nowhere around the harbour where one could see even the present proposal). It will have more affect on views from parts of Bosham and the A259.

This is the site selected by the residents of Bosham as the least damaging to the local environment, if more housing is to be provided in this region.

It makes one wonder why the sudden interest in this minor site. Let us concentrate on preserving the AONB for future generations. Chichester Harbour would not be what it now is if any more development is allowed in the AONB.