Following the substantial interest from the community in the plans for potential pitches and occasional parking on Havenstoke Park, Chichester Community Development Trust (CCDT), has organised for an open evening at Graylingwell Chapel in the new year, from 5-6:30pm on Wednesday 4th January.  This will both ensure that the immense amount of positive energy expressed towards the preservation and enhancement of the park is captured and harnessed in the Friends of Havenstoke Park group and that accurate information on Chichester District Council’s plans are communicated widely.

As part of the District Council’s long-term plan for the city, when planning consent for development at Havenstoke Park was granted, back in 2009, a ‘Section 106 condition’ was put in place, legally requiring the developers to install two full-size grass playing fields on the park. This was reconsidered and deemed required as part of the revised 2018 master plan.

The surface for these will remain grass, with revised surfacing aiding ground conditions for dog walkers when the pitches are not in use.  

Accompanying the pitches would be a temporary site for parking, only to be utilised to minimise the impact on residents’ parking during match times when players and their families would be coming to the site, and during occasional community events such as the Summer Garden Party, where cars have always been parked on this site. This temporary parking space will not be tarmac / hard-surfaced. It will be made using grass-crete – a support surface laid under the grass to ensure there is no damage to the landscape due to the weight of vehicles – that grass grows through ensuring there is no damage to the park’s aesthetics or biodiversity. It will remain locked to vehicles outside of specific use times so will cause minimal impact to the park.

CCDT was set up some years later, to manage and maintain land and community facilities such as the Chapel on behalf of residents and the wider community, including the pitches once delivered. CCDT has owned and managed Havenstoke Park only since March 2022, and with it inherited these pre-agreed plans that were made at the outset of the Graylingwell Park development by Chichester District Council. 

As of the time of writing, a review is currently underway to determine whether or not one of the two grass pitches could instead be delivered as a smaller, junior one, given the city’s much greater need for children’s pitches rather than adult ones. It is hoped that this would still be permissible within the requirements of the planning condition but would minimise the extent of the park taken up. Whatever the outcome, CCDT will be responsible for maintenance of the spaces and bookings made to the pitches.  They will work with the community to ensure that everybody’s needs and desires are served as best as possible.  Currently the park already plays host to informal weekly games from a young girls’ team, a boys’ team and a team of refugees enjoying the opportunity to connect with each other on a weekly basis. It is thought that these teams will continue in the more formal settings.

January’s meeting will provide an opportunity for residents of Graylingwell and the surrounding area to meet and speak with Chichester District Council members about what plans have been agreed and the process that got us to this point. This is not a public consultation on an open planning matter, but an opportunity to both speak directly to the Council regarding the forthcoming works and to see CGI images of how the park will look as provided by developers, Drew Smith. These should offer some reassurances as to the minimal impact to both the look and atmosphere of the park and its role as a natural habitat.

CCDT will host a meeting room within the Chapel where all those that are keen to see continued enhancements made to the park, and who feel strongly as to how it can best be preserved can become active members in the future works.  Whilst CCDT has funding to ensure strong governance and management of the park is conducted, the independent charity relies on a team of volunteers who comprise the Friends of Havenstoke Park to carry out enhancements to the space.  With the army of voices keen to see its protection it is hoped that this will swell the numbers of the volunteer group to create a true force for good.

Whilst the event is free to attend CCDT has asked that all those who would like to attend book a space for the event via the Chapel website here, so that they can gauge the numbers expected.  The café will be open for hot and cold drinks throughout the meeting.