Readers' Letters November 25

Three inches of rain in 12 hours is undoubtedly going to cause flooding and create headlines.

We are very sorry for those whose houses were flooded – drying-out a house is a miserable business – but the recent drama is likely to mask the continuing inability of West Sussex County Council to deal with local roads which are always flooded after rain.

The pictures provided were taken on the Monday, before the downpour, and after only three or four hours of moderate rain.

Prior to this, there had been a relatively-dry autumn, and yet there were more or less deep puddles, or ponds as WSCC not unsurprisingly refers to them, in all the usual places; The Broadway, Broyle Road, Bognor Road, College Lane and the bypass north of Portfield, and no doubt more.

You can see the difficulties caused to pedestrians, cyclists and car drivers when roads are reduced from two lanes to one and pavements are submerged.

The Chichester Society raised the issue with WSCC in March, to be told of high water tables and inefficient soakaways.

Water tables are at their lowest at the end of summer, so that excuse can no longer be valid, unless we are to be condemned to a totally unsatisfactory amphibious existence throughout the winter.

As for pleading inefficient soakaways, two of the largest ponds, at Bognor Road and at Portfield, are within striking distance of disused gravel pits.

Water from a new soakaway at the edge of each pit, to filter our dirt off the road, would soon make its way to the pit.

It’s time that WSCC thought less about difficulties and more about solutions.

Once that’s sorted, perhaps we can tackle the Highways Agency who have responsibility for the A27 itself?

David Wilson, Treasurer, The Chichester Society

THIS IS an appreciation letter to the Chichester police, Sergeant Blackburn and Mr Taylor of the Chichester District Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

I am 79 years old and my neighbour is 90 and we had terrific support from those gentlemen dealing with a case of continuing intimidation, bullying, and just impossible behaviour.

We got in contact with the Chichester District Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and the non-emergency police.

In both instances the courteous behaviour, involvement and care was outstanding.

We feel safer now and hope further instances will be eliminated.

Ann Taylor, Chichester

IN 1951, the proprietor of the Alpha Garage, Westergate – opposite what is now Oliver’s Meadow – told me of plans to build a road from Eastergate Memorial area – where the school is now – to a flyover east of Shripney Crossing to link up with the double road just beyond the Robin Hood.

He decided to move away as he did not want to be running a garage on what would be a quiet country lane – the A29.

It is now 2010.

Brian O’Gorman, Chichester

REMEMBER THE bad old days when people in social housing were segregated on council house estates?

Chichester District Council is being asked to return to this discredited model.

A housing company which has a contract with Chichester District Council to provide and run its social housing is seeking to do just that.

It is phrased as ‘helping to rebalance the housing tenure profile of the area’.

What that means is simply tacking the new social housing for West Wittering on to the old local authority estate of Summerfield Road on the outermost edge of the village.

Concentrating social housing in this fashion is the antithesis of inclusive sustainable communities.

National policy has for many years called for ‘mixed’ housing, abandoning the ghetto approach altogether.

However, many people would like to turn back the clock; resurrecting the marginalisation of tenants in social housing is being justified in some quarters by comments such as ‘easier to police’!

In order to run social housing as a single estate, a greenfield site within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty would have to be used.

So part of the AONB, in our trust for future generations, in which building is only permitted if ‘unavoidable’, is to be chipped away in order to marginalise social housing.

The AONB is central to the economy of Chichester District; tourism brings in many millions a year.

The status of the harbour, having the highest level of environmental global recognition possible, is currently much in the news.

Human activity is endangering its biodiversity in all sorts of ways.

The council is now required by law to prevent this getting worse and to improve matters.

Allowing this proposal to go ahead would indeed endanger a very special bird: the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Might this also be a test case example of a local authority under immediate pressure to address their funding deficit, attempting to sell off publicly-owned land around Chichester Harbour, which is protected by local, national, EU and international legislation?

Bridget Ash, Matthew McKim and Nick Gray, Chichester

THANK YOU to all those kind people who voted for Tea and Chat to receive the £1,000 from Chandlers Community Fund and congratulations to the winners.