New Chichester MP engages with Lavant Parish Council on local issues
A significant issue raised during the discussions was the pollution of the River Lavant, a vital Winterbourne chalk stream. The council highlighted that, in 2023 alone, the river endured 6,542 hours of wastewater discharges from the Lavant Waste Water Treatment Plant. Given that there are only 300 chalk streams globally, the importance of protecting this unique and fragile ecosystem was emphasised.
The council also expressed their worries regarding the increasing use of the narrow country roads in the parish as an unofficial Northern Bypass around Chichester. This trend is largely driven by traffic seeking to avoid the escalating congestion on the A27, further impacting the local infrastructure.
The newly elected MP for Chichester has committed to collaborating with Southern Water, the Highways Agency, and both district and county councils to develop multi-agency strategies aimed at addressing the infrastructure challenges facing parishes across the constituency.