Plans to build five blocks of student accommodation in Chichester have been refused by the district council.
The application, from Lichfields, on behalf of the University of Chichester, for land at Havenstoke Close, on the Bishop Otter Campus, was turned down by Chichester District Council’s planning committee.
It was felt that the height, length, scale and siting of one of the blocks could potentially harm below-ground remains of the Chichester Dyke Scheduled Ancient Monument, a designated heritage asset ‘of the highest significance’.
The plan had been to demolish the ‘tired and low-density student housing’ already on the site and replace it with the three and four-storey blocks. This would have provided accommodation for 349 students attending the university.
As well as concerns about Chichester Dyke, the committee was not convinced that there would be no increase in waste being sent to the Apuldram Wastewater Treatment Works, which officers said had ‘zero capacity to accept further flows from major developments’.
The council received 18 letters of objection to the plans as well as objections from Chichester City Council, which shared the concerns about then ancient monument.
To view the application, log on to publicaccess.chichester.gov.uk and search for 23/02116/FUL.
