Plans to redevelop Chichester bus station get go-ahead
The building could become homes and shops
Chichester district councillors have agreed that plans to develop the city’s bus station should be allowed to progress.
One of the policies in the emerging Local Plan which deals with the Southern Gateway, allocates the 1.2 hectare site in Basin Road for a mixed scheme of 110 homes plus shops and a café/restaurant.
The council owns the land and, for the Local Plan to be approved by inspectors, the authority had to give permission for the site to be developed.
The approval, which was given during a meeting of the full council, essentially dotted the ‘i’s and crossed the ‘t’s to ensure there were no problems.
The council aims to submit the Local Plan to planning inspectors for examination early in the new year.
In the meantime, consultants WSP are carrying out the first phase of work to produce a regeneration strategy for the city.
Anticipated to be complete in the spring of 2024, the aim of the strategy is to set out potential key sites to improve or develop, attracting investment and business to the city, building job opportunities, boosting the infrastructure and transforming tired areas.
Leader Adrian Moss said: “We are entering a really exciting phase with the preparation of the new regeneration strategy to support the future development of Chichester city.
“This strategy will set out some key sites in the city that we wish to see developed and set an overarching plan of what we want Chichester to look like into the future.
“The aim of this is to increase investment and develop a clear idea of place setting.
“This new regeneration strategy will be supported by a wide community consultation.”
An early part of the strategy will involve bringing forward land identified in the Southern Gateway Project.