Residents express fears over seafront development plans for Bognor

More than 200 residents packed the Shoreline Centre at Butlins to quiz senior figures behind the 500m redevelopment of the town.

Despite optimism for a number of elements of the scheme, which includes major investment of 50m from Sainsbury's at the Lec site, 45m for the new Bognor Regis Community College, 8m towards the town's university campus and a new watersports centre envisioned for Butlins, considerable concerns were voiced over St Modwen's plans for the seafront.

The developer has now been given until March 2012 to deliver a revised bid for the Regis centre site '“ which was originally proposed to contain 168 flats alongside an arts and community facility.

Arun District Council leader Gillian Brown confirmed any revised plans for the site would have to contain flats due to 'financial realities'.

Hugh Coster, of the Civic Society, which objects to flats being part of the Regis Centre site, said: "Holding meetings such as this is not consultation '“ we have had only one exhibition on St Modwen's at which only vague concepts were presented for its seafront and Hothamton sites. Surely a company of its size would be able to produce consultation in the next three years?"

Gary Morris of St Modwen's responded: "We have just started work on revising our proposals.

There will be consultation and almost certainly there will be a range of options available."

The Civic Society also added concern over St Modwen's perceived plan of closing off part of the road at The Esplanade as part of the development, which prompted considerable concern when originally proposed.

One resident, Mrs Harvey, raised the issue of the residents' poll on seafront flats which showed 10,500 people signed a petition against residential development on the only remaining open space on the seafront.

There were cheers of approval from the floor after Mr Morris confirmed it would not be pressing ahead with plans for a 30-storey tower block at the Hothamton site in the town.

One of the most heated moments came over development plans for Oldlands Farm '“ which Asda was not permitted to build on last year as it had been designated for business rather than retail use.

West Sussex County Councillor Francis Oppler demanded to know if Gillian Brown had 'let down Bognor' by refusing retail development on the site, which she rejected, stating it had been refused on solid planning grounds.

Councillor Norman Dingemans, Arun's cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: "I hope the public were impressed that every one of the developers and key players turned up to the meeting and were happy to be involved in what was a robust question and answer session.

"I think the person who summed up the value of the work of the Regeneration Task Force in getting the partnership working was Caroline Wood from SEEDA, who made it clear they would not have put 2m into the University of Chichester had it not been for the partnership attitude of all the parties involved in the regeneration programme.

"The whole ambience of the partnership has been the great success of the Regeneration Task Force."

Richard McMann, co-ordinator of the task force, stressed there was already a significant amount of work being done in the town including creating vacant shops initiative.

This is designed to draw an expanded range of quality retail stores into the town.

He conceded he would be naive to think all the elements of the schemes could please everyone.

Mr McMann said: "We hope everybody there managed to get the information they required but if not, I would encourage them to come and talk with me at the Town Hall."

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