Fighting for Infrastructure-First Development 

Why is planning such a problem in Chichester? 

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The planning system in our part of the country simply isn't working for local people. Around 70% of the District Council area is covered by National Park, with a further 5% designated as National Landscape, which means ambitious housing targets are being squeezed into just 25% of available land. The result is high-density development without the infrastructure to support it: congestion on the A27, pressure on school places, and difficulty getting a GP appointment are all issues constituents face. 

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What's wrong with the current approach to planning? 

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Too often, planning is developer-led and overly centralised. It doesn't consistently deliver the roads, schools, GP surgeries and environmental services that communities need - and it doesn't give residents a meaningful say in shaping what gets built in their area. I'm pushing for a fundamentally different approach: one where infrastructure comes first, and communities are genuinely involved. 

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It is also very challenging for the local community to drive the sort of development they wish to see because of unnecessary and burdensome hoops to jump through. Westbourne Community Land Trust delivered a scheme of homes at affordable rents for residents of Westbourne which was welcomed locally, but it took seven years of hard work from a small group to deliver the scheme! The government should make it easier for community led schemes to be built to deliver the homes places need.  

 

Are national housing targets making things worse? 

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There are real concerns that national targets are adding pressure to areas like Chichester without addressing the underlying problems. A stark example is Arun District Council, which covers areas such as Bersted and Pagham and now faces one of the highest housing targets outside Greater London, despite being at significant risk of flooding. Targets also risk rewarding developers who have historically been slow to build out permissions they already hold.  

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Do you support new housing? 

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Growth is necessary for our area. But it must be sustainable, properly planned, and matched with the right infrastructure. I want to see young people able to stay in the communities where they grew up, access housing, and contribute to the local economy. That's only possible if development is done properly, not pushed through at any cost. 

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What are the Liberal Democrats proposing on planning? 

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We have long called for a Land Use Framework to balance competing pressures on land, including housing, agriculture, energy and nature recovery. We're committed to reforming the planning system so that infrastructure genuinely comes first, including ensuring water and wastewater systems can support new development. We're also calling for higher minimum standards for new homes, including zero-carbon builds and investment in insulation. 

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We are also calling for an ambitious target on the number of social homes that the Country should deliver per year. Currently there is only a target for the number of homes but no target for the number of homes we desperately need in the Chichester constituency.  

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What have you done in Parliament on planning? 

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I've worked with my Liberal Democrat colleague Gideon Amos MP to strengthen environmental protections in the planning system. Together we proposed amendments to ensure that National Landscapes, including Chichester Harbour, are formally consulted on developments that affect their areas. Unfortunately, these proposals were not supported by the Labour Government or Conservative MPs. 

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We have called for water companies to be included as statutory consultees in the National Planning Policy Framework, so houses are built where water infrastructure has capacity, rather than in areas with wastewater treatment works that are regularly releasing untreated sewage into the environment via storm overflows.  

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I’ve also highlighted the very specific challenges that we face in our area to the Housing Minister on multiple occasions. 

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What about the environment and nature recovery? 

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There are significant gaps in current legislation when it comes to environmental protection. The Liberal Democrats are calling for a Nature Act with legally binding targets to improve water quality, air quality, soil health and biodiversity, backed by long-term investment. We're also pushing for upfront funding for nature recovery, mandatory nature-friendly building standards, and stronger targets for social housing.