About Chichester
Chichester is a small cathedral city situated in West Sussex. It has a regular population of 23,731 but this figure can treble during the summer months due to its proximity to the sandy beaches on the south coast. Chichester was once renowned for possessing the highest concentration of pubs or bars per square mile within the United Kingdom.
Chichester is a largely rural area with a population of over 100,000. It is also the county town of West Sussex and home of West Sussex County Council. Pleasingly architecturally, the city is particularly notable for its exceptional collection of 20th century British Modern Art at the Cathedral and Pallant House Gallery. Its is also a stones throw from the outstanding beauty of the South Downs and Goodwood race course, and the quality of the performances of its Festival Theatre are generally recognised by theatrical professionals as one of the prime venues outside of London's 'West End'.
The Chichester conservation area character appraisal was adopted as supplementary planning guidance on the 8 March 2005 by the District Council's Executive Board. The area includes the whole of the Roman town, with additions to every side: Northgate, Westgate, Southgate and Eastgate. Further to the north lies the separate conservation area around Graylingwell Hospital, and to the south, the Chichester conservation area has been extended recently to include the newly restored canal basin and part of the canal itself. The conservation area has been split into eight 'character' areas, based on historic development, building type, uses and activities.