Terms agreed with two landowners at major Tangmere development site

While not legally binding, the terms indicate an agreement in principle and are welcome news for Chichester District Council.

The Tangmere Strategic Development Location forms a critical part of the council’s housing target and an outline planning application for 1,300 homes is due to be submitted in October.

The next step, though, is to file a compulsory purchase order to make sure developer Countryside Properties has all the land it needs to get the job done.

The matter was discussed at a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (September 8) and will be confirmed by the full council later this month.

The 76 hectare site has been earmarked for housing since 2010 and makes up 14 per cent of the housing need in the Local Plan.

There were problems, though, when little progress was made in negotiations with the landowners and the council felt it had no choice but to opt for a compulsory purchase order.

The decision was approved in March but the impact of Covid-19 brought the whole thing to a grinding halt and meant a new timetable had to be drawn up.

Now planning permission is expected to be given in March 2021, the Secretary of State will make a decision on the compulsory purchase in October 2021 and – if all goes to plan – building work will start in February 2023.

The development will include a primary school, sports space, a retail ‘high street’, and strong landscaping around key parts of the historic village.

The meeting was told that one of the plots of land had been taken over by a new owner, who had been approached about the situation.

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