City pedestrian crossing could be moved back to original location

The supermarket was set to move into Unicorn House in Eastgate Square after permission for a change of use was granted but plans fell through earlier this year.

Now the Giggling Squid is looking to open a Thai restaurant at the former Chichester Observer office instead. However, before Sainsbury’s pulled out the developer funded works to move the puffin crossing in The Hornet westwards.

Jamie Fitzjohn, county councillor for Chichester South, suggested the pedestrian crossing could be moved back to its original position outside Goodrowes.He said: “It will be moved back which I think will be pleasing for everybody.”

The issue was raised during West Sussex County Council’s South Chichester County Local Committee meeting last Tuesday (October 31).

A change of use for a restaurant has been approved by Chichester District Council but another application for a Giggling Squid sign and menu boxes is still under consideration.

The county council explained that when CDC gave permission for a convenience store one of the conditions was for the pedestrian crossing to be moved due to the number of people visiting the shop and road safety reasons.

A county council spokesman added: “We are aware that the location of the pedestrian crossing is causing some inconvenience and we will look again at this once we are sure what Unicorn House is going to be used for.”

This is because a convenience store could theoretically come forward.

The county council said it would continue to monitor traffic and review the traffic-signal sequencing and road markings to see if they can be improved.

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