Pictures: Sneak peek of Littlehampton regeneration designs

How High Street looks currently. The street is in-line for a revamp as part of Â£4.85million regeneration plans SUS-161107-154206001

Arun District Council is set to seek funding for the plans, which will include repaving, replacement of street furniture and pedestrian-friendly junctions.

But while Littlehampton regeneration subcommittee welcomed most of the plans, drawn up by consultants LDA Design, they called for the iconic town clock to be retained.

Councillor Dr James Walsh said: “There is a vision here which if implemented would really revitalise Littlehampton town centre.

How Littlehampton High Street could look if funding is found for improvements SUS-161107-153209001

“Most people support it. There are one or two quibbles over things like the clock but the rest of it most people like.”

The plans would be delivered in five phases.

Phase one to three would include High Street, between the railway station and Arundel Road and East Street through to the High Street junction and Beach Road.

The remaining phases would see improvements between Surrey Street and the Look and Sea Centre, Pier Road and Beach Road and the war memorial roundabout.

A4 portrait submission template SUS-161107-154218001

LDA Design, which was behind the east bank regeneration, held a consultation in May on the ideas.

Consultant Tim South said the plans were about more than new paving.

Arun assistant director for planning and regeneration Karl Roberts said town centres needed more places to dwell because of an increasing demand for social, rather than retail uses. He said Littlehampton needed to become more pedestrian friendly to attract visitors.

Councillor Mike Northeast, speaking from the public gallery, told the sub-committee costly intervention by consultants could be avoided by using members of the community to come up with a consensus design.

How Littlehampton's Clifton Road could look if funding is found for improvements SUS-161107-153156001

But Dr Walsh said there was no need to tear up the plans and councillors should get behind the plans.

In response, Mr Northeast said he was not trying to pour cold water on the project.

But he added that until a design brief to regenerate St Martin’s car park was drawn up, the council would merely be ‘papering over the cracks and putting up hanging baskets’.

Arun’s full council will now debate the project. Funding would be sought primarily from the Coastal Communities Fund.