THE long-running saga of plans for 21 new homes in Camelsdale finally came to an end this week, as they were given the go-ahead. Detailed plans for 19 houses and two flats on land between Camelsdale Road and Sturt Avenue were approved on Wednesday by district councillors, after they heard that fears over flooding and drainage had been allayed. Planning permission for the principle of constructing 21 homes and flats was granted last year, meaning that only details such as the design, layout, groundwater drainage and nature conservation issues were considered by members of Chichester District Council's area development control committee (north) this week. Councillors heard that for many years, development plans for the site at the rear of 26 to 46 Camelsdale Road and 20 Sturt Avenue had caused great controversy in the village. The council received letters of objection from eight residents, who argued that the development would lead to more flooding of the local area, extra traffic and would impact on the local wildlife. On top of this, it also received a letter of objection from Linchmere Parish Council, expressing concerns over the absence of a footpath on to the site. "There are not sufficient footpaths in the development from the entrance from Camelsdale Road; there should be Tarmac footpaths all the way into the development so that pushchairs and wheelchairs do not need to go in the roadway," the parish council's submission to the district council said. "The present plan shows only grass verges - these are not adequate for wheelchairs or pushchairs, or even pedestrians." The parish council also asked that Camelsdale residents and teachers at Camelsdale Primary School should be given the priority for securing some of the homes on the site which have been allocated for "affordable" housing. However, the district council responded by saying that priority for the affordable homes would go to people on its housing list and not teachers, because the homes were not allocated as key-worker housing. It also pointed out in its report to the committee that "the access to the site has been designed as a shared surface and as such there are no footpaths proposed". However, the parish council also pointed out that the site had been the victim of flooding in the past, which could be worsened by the development and this was a concern that was picked up by planning officers. "There have been ongoing negotiations between the applicants' consultants and the Environment Agency about the surface water and groundwater drainage issues at this site," the report said. "This has resulted in a drainage scheme being developed that meets the requirements of the Environment Agency." Officers also said that the design and layout of the development was acceptable and that there was no valid reason for granted full planning permission.
