A key project to deliver a walking, wheeling and cycling path in Chichester is moving forward after district councillors approved funding to progress the scheme.
At their recent meeting, Chichester District councillors agreed to release £155,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to progress the scheme. The CIL is a locally set charge on new development which is used to help fund infrastructure.
The path will run north to south across Oaklands Park from the Rugby Club car park to Oaklands Way. There will also be an east-west connecting path north of Chichester Festival Theatre to Broyle Road.
Designed to link the north‑east of Chichester with the city centre and east-west to Broyle Road, it would improve access to key destinations including the University of Chichester and Chichester Festival Theatre, while complementing the park environment and the way it is currently used. The scheme will also improve access to Chichester Rugby Club and its facilities, benefiting club members, visitors and the wider community that uses the site.
Chichester District Council is also working with West Sussex County Council Highways to make sure the new path links well with sustainable transport improvements planned for Oaklands Way.
Councillor Jonathan Brown, Cabinet Member for Environmental Strategy at Chichester District Council, said: “Plans for the new path have been shaped by residents’ feedback and we’re delighted to be able to release this CIL funding to help progress this key council project.
“The path will make the park and all its facilities including the Chichester Festival Theatre café, the new children’s playground and Chichester Rugby Club much more accessible for residents, including those who use wheelchairs. The route is not currently passable all year round, so the new path will enable people to travel easily along it even in winter. It also means that, in future, it will be possible to pursue better connections between the University of Chichester and the city centre via the park.
“I would also like to thank Chichester Rugby Club for its continued support of the project. The improved access arrangements will benefit the club and its visitors while helping to create better connections across this important part of the city. While the district council is not responsible for transport, we are committed to promoting greener ways to travel and supporting projects that improve air quality. With funding now in place, the council will shortly invite tenders for the construction of the path, with the aim of completing the scheme in spring 2027.”
The route through Oaklands Park was previously identified as a way in which travel in and around the city could be made safer and easier for people to walk and cycle, including those using wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility scooters.
The land is owned by the district council, and the project supports the council’s Chichester Local Plan, Climate Emergency Action Plan and Air Quality Action Plan.
