Oving traffic lights back on the agenda

ks16001150-2 Chi Oving Lights phot kate SUS-161025-191851008

The staged but eventual closure of the signals at the B2144’s junction with the A27 was included in planning conditions for the Shopwhyke Lakes development.

An application by Oving Parish Council to keep the crossroads open cannot be approved after a ruling from the Secretary of State, but campaigners are still hoping to gain more time.

Last January, planning committee members agreed to defer plans for 12 months or until an option was decided on for the A27.

The application is due to be discussed by the planning committee again tomorrow (Wednesday June 13) with officers recommending refusal.

Chichester City Council, Bognor Town Council, and parish councils in Tangmere, Aldwick and North Mundham, have all supported the application.

However Highways England has maintained its objection, explaining: “The Shopwyke Lakes highway scheme effectively re-routes the B2144 Shopwhyke Road through the development site to the A27 trunk road.

“The highway scheme, including A27 junction capacity improvements, new pedestrian footbridges across the A27, new local roads through the site, a new access onto the A27 and alterations to the A27/Shopwhyke Road junction, was accepted by both the Highways Agency and the local highway authority, West Sussex County Council, after many months of consultation with the developer.”

Government decide to close the Oving lights for good