PERSISTENT EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO DEVELOP THE WHITEHOUSE FARM LAND BY - MILLER HOMES - and - LINDEN HOMES
and before 2011 assumptions and work to implement that has been undertaken by our local authorities without any public consultation
Chichester District Council has used their Public Relations Officer to ensure no information is released. West Sussex County Council does respond when ask
See the latest information here
See the latest information here
INFORMATION FROM WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
Property Services File
Bishop Luffa School and West of Chichester
1) First mention is a contact between Spencer Bryan and a consultant February 2004
2) Meeting held 11 Feb 2004 Attendees Peter Proudley, (Senior Education Officer) and Chris Carey (Professional Services manager - Property) for WSCC, with representatives of the school, governors, Linden Homes and Centex Strategic Land
3) A presentation, is noted as having been made by developers to County/District Council Member meeting on 12 February 2004. – no detail
4) Meeting held 17th May 2004 Paul Brooks (Strategic Development Manager – Property Services) and Peter Proudley WSCC with Eric Wilson (land Manager) of Centex
(At some stage Centex was sold to Fairclough which was sold to Miller Homes)
5) Meeting held 8 July 2004 To discuss possible feasibility work needed Paul Brook (Property), Tim Crabb and Phil Ward (both Project Officers Capital planning WSCC) and Nick Taunt (Headteacher)
6) Initial internal work undertaken to assess options for replacement of a school or part relocation/refurbishment upgrade
7) 13 October 2004 Chris Carey issued Eric Wilson with outline brief of accommodation schedules required for a school.
8) 3 November 2004 Letter from Chris Carey to Eric Wilson confirming that WSCC unable to commit to any specific scheme when asked if WSCC would agree to enter into an Option agreement with developers
9) 21 January 2005 Detailed reply between Mike Elkington (Planning) and Chris Carey as to strategic planning and highway views on a number of sites plus outlines Chichester DC LDF process timetable
10) 11 March 2005 Chris Carey confirms to Eric Wilson the political sensitivity of housing site allocations in the Chichester area and any discussions to be postponed
12) 11 April 2005 Eric Wilson seeks confirmation that WSCC wont object to their pushing the site.
13) 21 April 2005 Chris Carey to Eric Wilson confirming WSCC were not in a position to confirm same
14) Letter 10th November 2005 from Miller Homes (who had acquired Centex) to Chris Carey seeking update meeting
15) Meeting held 28 April 2006 Chris Carey and Graham Glenn (Strategic Development Manager) - WSCC David Birchall (Managing Director) and Andy Evans – Miller Homes Simon Tannahill (strategic Land Manager - Linden Homes)
Notes of latter meeting indicate
Miller and Linden have a joint option on the site and are actively promoting the site through the CDC LDF process
Initial proposal was provision for 1200 homes
Review of access to scheme via Bishop Luffa site (to access south of site), and potential for relocation of existing school etc
The formal position is that WSCC will ensure that the implementation of any strategic location (via the LDF) will reflect the policies of the Structure Plan and its strategic principles, whilst at the same time protecting the county’s interests as both Strategic Planning and Highway authority.
16) 27 February 2008 Miller Homes (Andy Evans) visit school (Mr Nicholds Bursar, Paul Bedford capital planning WSCC attend with members of Diocese and Governors) outlining need to secure School site to enable its inclusion in Chichester LDF and deliver what Miller call Phase 2 of their masterplan
17) 3 July 2008 Andy Evans letter to Graham Glenn(WSCC) outlining background again
18) 17 July Bridge Club on the site request extension of their dual use agreement which is due to expire in 2017
19) 29 July response by Graham Glenn to Andy Evans confirming WSCC position that whilst they confirm broad agreement to the principles of replacing the school as part of any wider development, any plans have to be subject to the normal statutory highway and planning approvals
20) 15 August 2008 Andy Evans replies that not happy with reply of 29 July
21) Following a subsequent call to Louise Goldsmith (WSCC Cabinet Member) from a Martin Hawthorne (White Young Green project manager for the developers) Graham Glenn repeats reply to Andy Evans on 10th November
22) Andy Evans confirms that market conditions preclude any further activity and he will review
GG
File note 26/11/8
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Infrastructure TRIM Files
Chichester – Whitehouse Farm
1) 22 December 2004
Memorandum from Chris Carey (Professional Services manager - Property) to WSCC Planning Services, Waste & Strategic Policy and Highways & Transport requesting views on Masterplan proposals. These include potential new Bishop Luffa School and access to proposed development at Whitehouse Farm across existing school playing fields. Position regarding Lavant Bypass and Chichester Western Relief Road also requested.2) 21 February 2005
Email reply Spencer Bryan (Chichester Area Liaison, WSCC Development Control) to Chris Carey. Confirmed that Lavant Bypass and Chichester Western Relief Road schemes are formally approved but not included in the West Sussex Structure Plan 2001-2016. Suggested that current use of old railway line as cycleway/ footpath may result in revised alignments for both road schemes.3) 9 November 2006
Email Ian Dix (Regional Director, Savell Bird & Axon (SBA) – transport consultant for Linden Homes and Miller Homes) to Chris Owen (WSCC Principal Transport Planner, Strategic Development) and Peter Minshull (Network Planning Manager, Highways Agency). Suggested scope for agreeing Statement of Common Ground (SoCG)prior to Examination into Chichester District Core Strategy.4) Meeting held 30 November 2006
Ian Dix, Chris Owen and Peter Minshull met to discuss issues around proposed strategic development west of Chichester. Agreed little scope for SoCG.5) 16 June 2007
Email Ian Dix to Chris Owen enquiring about any work being undertaken by WSCC on options for strategic housing development as part of emerging Chichester District Local Development Framework (LDF). Also enquired whether SBA’s initial 2006 Transport Assessment (TA) report had been considered.6) 16 June 2007
Email reply Chris Owen to Ian Dix advising no such work in hand although the potential need for further transport modelling work to support the LDF had been discussed with Chichester District Council. Also confirmed that TA had not been looked at in detail.7) 12 August 2008
Email reply from Chris Owen to telephone enquiry from Ian Dix. Confirmed that Spencer Bryan (now Planning Applications Manager, Local Development) is the initial point of contact on highways and transport matters relating to planning applications.CMO 12 December 2008
CHICHESTER CITY COUNCIL
EXTRACT FROM MINUTES OF THE PLANNING AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD ON WEDNESDAY 25 MAY 2005 AT 5.30PM
15 WHITE HOUSE FARM DEVELOPMENT
The Committee noted that a presentation by Linden Homes had been held on 16 May 2005 concerning development at White House Farm. The Committee were rather sceptical of a number of claims made by the developers, particularly the argument mounted about why land at Tangmere should not be used to meet some of the housing demand, although the flexible approach by the developer had also been noted.
Significant concerns still arose as regards a wide range of infrastructure issues which would need much greater attention to detail by the developers before the Committee could consider the proposals with any degree of confidence.
LAND REGISTRY TITLE NUMBER WSX272832
Charges Register
3 (20.05.2003) Option to purchase in favour of Linden Homes Developments Limited contained in an agreement dated 22 July 2002