The newly-formed group Campaign Against Over Development in Selsey (CAODIS) hosted Saturday's meeting to make its feelings known about plans to build the properties, with traffic problems, flooding and the impact on the environment among the concerns.

"We are violently against the proposals," said CAODIS chairman Richard Bramall. "You couldn't have got any more people in the hall.

"The meeting went incredibly well and left people in no doubt what our feelings are.

"The most important thing is that the town and district councillors listen to what we have to say."

A presentation was given by Tim Kinross of CAODIS to demonstrate the proposals which are part of Pye Homes' Selsey Gate Phase II developments.

During Phase I the company built 200 homes at a site next to Manor Road in 2003.

Now it wants to build 370 dwellings, 4,400sqm of office space and a care home at a greenfield site next to Park Lane. This would increase the population by about 1,200 people.

CAODIS believes building the homes would put strain on the town, in particular on the traffic coming in and out of Selsey.

The development is to be built on land which has flooding zones and Pye Homes proposes to raise its site by a metre and a half to prevent flooding. Pye Homes also proposed to protect the site with an earth bank.

Graham Pye of Pye Homes said after a 'successful' public consultation with residents in July, it made changes to its original plans.

It will look at using smaller office units, there will be a reduction in the amount of employment space, it will create direct access to Manor Road to prevent rat-running in surrounding roads and it will introduce a nursing care home.

"We are aware there was a public meeting on Saturday," added Mr Pye.

"This would have presumably considered our initial ideas and these have since been amended. We will be holding a further public exhibition in November and hope local people will come along."

Mr Bramall said: "We're delighted with the response we got at the meeting, now it's down to hard graft.

"We shall create a strategy to help the town and Chichester District Council make a prudent decision.

"They aren't taking account for it, but they'll hear it whether they like it or not."

If anyone would like to contact CAODIS and help in its campaign please email caodis@btinternet.com



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