Plans for the West of Chichester Development Northern Spine Road 18/01587/REM were accepted on Wed 05 Dec 2018 but the plans did not show any pedestrian/zebra or cycle/toucan crossings of the spine road. However, council officers and developers previously shared a documented exchange where they decided these matters were best handled at a later date by the inclusion of a condition in the agreement.

On the 24th June 2018 Steven Shaw (WSCC County Highways) raised a question about pedestrian crossing facilities. Nick Billington’s (Principle Planner WYG) reply from 6th Sep 2018 is shown in red:

Pedestrian crossing facilities – The submitted plans include no detail of the proposed crossing facilities over the Spine Road. The Design & Access Statement states zebra crossings and traffic islands will be provided to enable safe and convenient crossings of the spine road. The applicant should provide details of these and a justification to support the proposed location and design of the crossing facilities.

We agree that crossing points, such as zebra crossings and traffic islands, will be necessary along the primary road to provide permeability and safe pedestrian access, particularly in the area of the local centre where higher numbers and more vulnerable people can be expected to congregate.

However in the absence of detailed designs for adjacent parcels, it is impossible to sensibly propose crossing point designs and locations now. We therefore propose that details of the proposed crossing points and their locations come forward as part of future Reserved Matters Applications in relation to phases adjacent to the primary access road. We suggest that such an could be controlled by a suitably worded condition such as the following:

Prior to the commencement of development to the adjacent phase, details of any pedestrian and cycle crossing points on the section of the primary access road adjacent to the submitted phase should be submitted and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The crossing points shall be completed in accordance with the approved details prior to occupation of the adjacent phase

Indeed, the final 18/01587/REM agreement granting permission for the Northern Spine Road contained the following condition:

2) Prior to the spine road hereby permitted being first brought into use full details including a timetable for implementation shall be submitted to and be approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with WSCC as the Local Highway Authority for the provision of pedestrian and/or cycle crossing facilities of the spine road. The pedestrian and/or cycle crossing facilities shall thereafter be implemented in accordance with the approved details and timetable.

On the 29 May 2020 the West of Chichester developers submitted application 20/01311/DOC Discharge of planning conditions 2 (spine road pedestrian/cycle crossing facilities) and 6 (Country Park cycle parking) from Reserved Matters approval CC/18/01587/REM.

The 20/01311/DOC plans purport to detail intended implementation of conditions 2 & 5 of CC/18/01587/REM:

The plans show the proposed crossing points across the extent of the intended adopted Spine Road.

The plans show the provision of 4  Sheffield stand cycle hoops on the two key entrances to the Country Park

However ChiCycle can identify neither zebra/toucan crossings across the primary spine road nor Sheffield stand cycle parking facilities in the dog walking SANG area in any of these plans!

Cllr Pauline Gaskin has attempted to clarify issues about road markings show on 20/01311/DOC drawings that differ from the original planing agreement for the primary spine road. These road markings indicate that cyclists would not have priority at side junctions as was agreed in the accepted Cycle Strategy for Phase 1 document.

Steven Shaw (WSCC County Highways) wrote to Cllr Pauline Gaskin on the 2nd July 2020 stating:

Chichester District Council is currently determining application CC/20/01311/DOC which seeks to discharge the detail of the proposed pedestrian/cycle crossing facilities of the side roads relating to Reserved Matters application CC/18/01587/REM

ChiCycle are now mystified by the way condition 2 of CC/18/01587/REM has morphed from being a committent to provide pedestrian and cycle crossings across the primary spine road, into modifications to the original agreement that seems likely to remove priority from the cycle way as it crosses side road junctions.

We have a prize of £50.00 of bicycle accessories, parts or repairs from the Bognor Bike Hub. for the first person to find the Sheffield stand cycle parking facilities in the dog walking SANG area! The plans can be downloaded by searching for documents on the following link to CDC planning archive. Search for planning application  CC/20/01311/DOC. See if you can find the bike stands!

Mark Record (on behalf of ChiCycle)