Chichester
Chichester District is a beautiful area of rural England, which covers over 300 square miles of the western 
part of West Sussex. The District stretches from Selsey on the English Channel, along a coastal strip including the Witterings and Chichester Harbour, to the Hampshire and Surrey border. It is one of 7 Districts and Boroughs in West Sussex. The neighbouring districts are Arun and Horsham in West Sussex, Havant and East Hants in Hampshire and Waverly in Surrey.
The district, which is classified by DEFRA (Department of Environment for Food and Rural Affairs) as 100% rural, encompasses a large part of the South Downs and nearly two thirds of the district is covered by two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which will form a large part of the proposed South Downs National Park. It divides into three distinct aspects, the Cathedral City of Chichester, the coastal strip and the rural hinterland.
There are significant difficulties with transport networks, especially south to north, and this presents real issues regarding the accessibility of public transport across this large geographical spread. High house prices and average wage levels leads to concerns around affordability of appropriate housing and with a population ageing much faster than the rest of England and Wales, gives rise to concerns about the delivery of healthcare, isolation and social exclusion, especially in the villages.
The interim Sustainable Community Strategy for Chichester District states that: ‘Over the past 20 years the demographics of Chichester have changed dramatically. Chichester, like the rest of Britain has an ageing population; however, it appears that the population of the district is ageing about three times faster than the rest of England and Wales.
‘From the 2001 Census, 29% of the population of Chichester District are aged over 60 years old – this /compares to a national average of just over 20%. Population age band forecasts for the District over the period 2001-2021 show significant projected growth in the over 65 group – a 28% rise over the period. In the 80+ group the population will also rise by 28%, while the 30-44 group is forecasted to decline by 14.2%.’