Chichester News
The latest Chichester news: planning decisions, council and crime updates, business and community stories, each linked back to its official source.
Top story
Chichester Claimant Count Rises to 2,365, Under-25s Up 17%
Chichester's claimant count hit 2,365 in August, and 55 of the 95 extra claimants on the year are aged 16 to 24. Under-25 claims are up 16.9%, England's 9.4%.
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Chichester
Chichester Planning: 317 Homes Approved, Only 19 Permitted
Chichester's planning committee said yes to all six schemes on 9 September, including 265 homes at Westhampnett. A week on, only 19 of them have permission.
Chichester District Council
Chichester Council Merger Paused, May 2027 Elections On
Chichester's move into a new unitary council is on hold with no timetable, and the district elections will now go ahead in May 2027 on existing wards.
Planning
M&S Chichester: North Street to Close by April 2028
M&S wants a full-line store in the empty Homebase at Discovery Park, decided on 9 September. North Street goes, East Street drops to a ground-floor foodhall.
Selsey
Selsey Sea Defences: £250m Plan Picks Rock Revetment
Cabinet backed the leading option on 1 September: sloping rock defences along 4.5km of Selsey coast, at £250m to £294m. Public exhibition in October.
Business
Star and Garter East Dean: £96,690 Owed, HMRC Top Creditor
The statement of affairs filed at Companies House lists £96,690 owed by the East Dean pub company. HMRC takes £58,025 of it, named suppliers £38,665.
Business
The Beach Bracklesham: £450,270 Deficit, £151,644 PAYE Owed
The statement of affairs for Billy's on the Beach Limited shows a £450,270 deficiency and £151,644 of PAYE owed to HMRC. The Bracklesham venue is still trading.
St Richard's Hospital
St Richard's Hospital: 850 Solar Panels Approved
850 solar panels approved for seven St Richard's Hospital roofs on 21 August. Nobody objected, and the whole lot arrives in one 6am Saturday delivery.
Food hygiene
Chichester Food Hygiene: 1,233 of 1,304 Rate 5
Chichester district beats Arun by eleven points on top hygiene ratings. But every rating published here in the last 30 days was a 5, and that is not luck.
Chichester Harbour
Chichester Sewage Works Gets £25m to Add 57% Capacity
Southern Water has started a £25m upgrade at Apuldram, the works the council says is already at environmental capacity. It is not due to finish until spring 2029.
Selsey
Selsey Seawall Works: Beach Ramp Shut for 12 Weeks
Urgent work on the West Beach seawall shuts the beach access ramp for about 12 weeks. The council's own pages give three different start dates.
Chichester
Chichester claimant count: one ward 6%, another 1.3%
Chichester Central has the 4th highest claimant rate of West Sussex's 133 wards at 6.0%. Loxwood, at the district's northern edge, is on 1.3%.
Chichester
Chichester house prices at their lowest since Feb 2024
The district average fell £9,921 in a year to £429,978, the 25th steepest drop of 295 English districts. Only 62 fell at all, and Horsham is now dearer.
Chichester Harbour
Chichester Harbour's 1973 boat rules: survey shuts 30 Aug
The rulebook for 9,000 boats in Chichester Harbour was confirmed in 1973. The Conservancy is replacing it, and its survey of harbour users closes on 30 August.
Education
Chichester research week: free public lecture, Alex Polizzi
The University of Chichester opens its first Research and Innovation Week to residents from 7 September. The public keynote and business breakfast are both free.
Events
Chichester Medieval Market was a one-off: what is on next
The Medieval Market ran once, on 5 September 2026, and the council has not repeated it. The nearest medieval market now is Michaelmas at Singleton, 3 and 4 October.
Business
Chichester BID levy to rise to 1.7% if November vote passes
Chichester BID wants a fourth five-year term with the levy up from 1.25% to 1.7% of rateable value. Consultation closes 17 August; postal ballot closes 5pm on 19 November.
Business
Star and Garter East Dean pub company in liquidation
The Goodwood Estate village pub's company was wound up on 5 August, but a Gazette notice sets out the plan for a new company to keep it trading.
Business
Billy's on the Beach company liquidated; venue still open
The company behind Bracklesham Bay's famous beach cafe went into liquidation on 30 July. The venue, relaunched as The Beach, is still trading daily.