Laura Ford and Andrew Sabin hope to build an exciting new live/work sculpture complex in West Sussex offering a total of 11,000 sq ft of studio, workshop and gallery space as well as a studio flat for visiting artists. Their objective is to make their facilities an open house for educational institutions who want their students to experience ambitious sculpture making first hand. Andrew and Laura will be employing up to 15 fine art graduates on site to work in the field in which they trained including a dedicated art education officer. At a time when art education is under pressure as never before they feel that an initiative such as this should be supported.

On July the 19th their planning application comes before Chichester District Council’s planning committee. Despite support from many of the important local cultural institutions such as Pallant House, Chichester University and West Dean College and local organisations such as the Parish Council and the environment agency planning officers within the council are resisting the proposal on grounds of use and scale. Already some councillors on the planning committee are backing the project but the proposal needs a majority to gain permission. Elected members can be influenced by public support so if you would like to see this project given the permission it deserves please sign this online petition.

You can see all the documents related to the planning application on the planning portal - https://publicaccess.chichester.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=OLU4L3ERMKN00

The application number, if there is a problem with the link, is 17/00589/FUL, and the site address is:- South Barn, Brook Farm, Priors Leaze Lane, Hambrook, Chidham, Chichester West Sussex PO18 8RQ.

Thank you

Andrew Sabin and Laura Ford

http://www.andrewsabin.org/

http://www.lauraford.net/