Options for use of Chichester scrub land to be explored

The plans – to de-carbonise council buildings and car parks and to make use of a patch of scrub land in Terminus Road – will be discussed at a meeting of the cabinet in the new year.

Also on the table will be early discussions about the 2022 Year of Culture.

The Terminus Road project involves a patch of land between the Enterprise Centre and the A27 Fishbourne roundabout.

Consultants will be asked to explore options for its future use, such as setting up storage buildings or a car park.

While these options could land the council with initial costs as high as £90,000 on top of the £10,000 consultancy and planning fee, a report to the cabinet said they could bring in as much as £30,000 per year.

The report added: “It is well known that there is a need for additional commercial space in the Terminus Road area, including for parking, vehicle storage and general industrial use storage.

“Bringing this project forward now will enable the council to seek to fulfil that demand before it is met elsewhere.”

As for the de-carbonisation project, the aim is to have consultants ready by April 2021 to look into ways of making council buildings more energy efficient, exploring renewable energy options such as solar panels.

A feasibility study outlining the cost and benefits of the project is expected to be ready within a year.

If approved by the cabinet, the consultancy fees will be taken from the council’s general fund reserve.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday January 5 at 9.30pm.