Mill Road lease
Published: 08 January 2019
The Parish Council leases the land at the rear of properties 30-56 on Mill Road in Westbourne from Chichester District Council. The future of the lease will be discussed by parish councillors at a Parish Council meeting on Thursday 10th January 2019, 19:15 at The Meeting Place, North Street, Westbourne.
At the meeting, the following will be discussed:
- That, subject to Chichester District Council agreeing to the principle of transferring the land at the rear of 30 to 56 Mill Road to Westbourne Community Trust, the Parish Council enters into negotiations with that Trust to establish new leasehold arrangements for the site.
- That the Parish Council agree to the principle of surrendering the existing lease with Chichester District Council on the subject site and enter into a new lease with Westbourne Community Trust.
The land was leased to the Parish Council by the District Council in 2004 for a period off 30 years, following the completion of the new playground and housing development nearby. The land has recently been identified by Chichester District Council, working with the newly formed Westbourne Community Trust (WCT), as a potential site for affordable housing.
The WTC has been formed to tackle the serious lack of affordable houses available within Westbourne and, until the Trust was formed, there were no proposals to so anything about it. Young people and young families who grew up here are increasingly forced to leave Westbourne to find a home they can afford because of market prices and a lack of affordable houses. No other organisation is doing anything about this. Private sector housing is out of reach for many people and there are no sites coming forward to deliver affordable housing solutions. Westbourne would be failing its young people by not taking action, and the village would not thrive without a balanced community that proides homes for the next generation.
No land at this stage would change hands until planning proposals are developed in full consultation with the Westbourne community, and then only when a planning permission has been granted.
Plans for the site involve development on just one side of the recreation ground to retain some open space and the existing playground with new equipment and community facilities.
If you would like to discuss the above with the Parish Council, please email clerk@westbourne-pc.gov.uk or call 07775654483.
If you would like to find out more about the WTC, go to www.westbournecommunitytrust.org