What should The Sussex Bowl expect from Chichester?

We’ve now held three events in and around Chichester to explore new and different organising models that might be relevant for our collective future. These have felt rich and engaged meetings in which we have been able to share different views, concerns and hopes in a safe space where those differences have been respected and engaged with.  It has been a real privilege to steward those conversations.

This time we spoke about Chichester.  What should we expect of our ‘capital’ city at the western end of Sussex?  What is the role of a city in creating bioregional health and thrivability?

We began by looking at what Herbert Girardet, author of Creating Regenerative Cities suggested the role of a city might be:-

• an environmentally enhancing, restorative relationship between a city and the natural systems it depends on
• mainstreaming efficient, renewable energy systems for its inhabitants
• new lifestyle choices and economic opportunities which will encourage people to participate in regenerative transformation

and we dug down into some of the specifics of delivering that kind of vision.

What we are looking for from Chichester.

We had some brilliantly creative suggestions for how Chichester City might play a more positive role in our bioregion.  We were really happy that a number of councillors from the district and the city joined us in this session and all were able to provide really insightful input into our deliberations.  We discussed 6 different acupuncture points a city could invest in to shape systemic health. We had ideas, thoughts and also realisations that we didn’t know enough about some subjects to have a clear view.

Cultural & Educational

• a central area for outdoor performance, and better venues for performance arts in general
• welcoming, inspirational and informative arrival areas
• more, different facilities to exhibit and perform outside our recognised landmarks which are accessible to smaller performers and audiences
• do we have enough projects and programmes that encourage learning about our natural environment, like foraging, therapeutic work and adult education?
• could we offer more indoor programmes for young people like bouldering
• bioregional learning journeys for councillors and schools
• more opportunities for schools to learn about alternative ways to build that have been part of our heritage and history in west Sussex
• we want to think more about how to integrate older and younger communities for increased cultural cohesion

Regenerative Economy Hub

• We want to see more opportunity for high quality entrepreneurial innovation
• We want to see more support for traditional craft makers to create innovation ecosystems
• We want to see more support for upcycling and repair
• We want to see councillors engaged in openly engaging in narratives about economic potential of our region rather than contracting consultants to write strategies
• We want to make use of underutilised properties to foster innovation and entrepreneurialism
• We would like a clear economic vision for Chichester and its role as a generator of genuine wealth for all

Connector & Integrator

• we really need to sort out phone and internet connectivity
• we need more community hubs to share information – it seems this series has been great for making new connections and having great conversations
• we have a sense that more community connective spaces would help – like outside communal cooking areas or a speakers corner
• we sense that there are better ways to strengthen communities and that dialogue and doing together both play roles

Sustainable Resource Management

• we had a sense that there still isn’t enough information or channels or processes for both young and adult education about sustainable resource use
• we would love communal composting sites and more space to grow food
• we would love a process that brought food from stores to communal cooking spaces when past its commercial sell by date
• we need a food waste collection service
• we need to know more about abstraction across our area for Chichester, and want to learn more about how wind/solar power, recycling waste and de-salination of water might be part of our futures

Biodiversity & Habitat and Stewarding Natural Resources

• we thought we might map rewilding spaces and see what room there is for more
• we want to see joined up green space where you can walk or cycle across town in different directions
• we want to visibly celebrate the places where wildlife is returning with some form of markers, especially bird life
• we want to see wildlife corridors through the city connected to those outside but we don’t know how feasible that might be
• we do feel the need for a greater canopy in Chichester and wonder if there is a project about joined up gardens for a canopy for Chichester that could be done?
• We really want to see more citizen science in Chichester and are excited about the project with the Western Streams and Rivers Trust
• we want to celebrate the Lavant that runs through Chichester and make it accessible, visible and part of our landscape instead of hidden
• we want to use the Lavant as a focus point for community cohesion
• we would like more water features, ponds, wetland scapes and swales across the city as part of managing heat and habitat
• we want to bring all the existing diverse groups who steward nature together in a collaborative process to make Chichester a city of biodiversity strength

Transport and Tourism

• How can economic, transport and tourism strategy improve accessibility between the city and our natural sites such as the harbours, the downs? Could we start with better signage, walkways and eventually transport links?
• How can we create more sustainable connection between the peninsula and the City beyond roads and a few buses?
• How can we have a stronger partnership with SDNP and Conservancy to help nature-based tourism become a regenerator of nature restoration?
• We had a sense that more could be done on alternative transport
  • a fleet of bicycle rickshaws
  • donkey republic system
  • trams (at the higher end of investment are still an itch)
• we still need more pedestrianisation and fewer cars in the city centre to reduce noise, pollution and traffic