Thousands of homes, a major extension to the shopping centre, possibly including a multi-storey car park, and redevelopment of the harbour are top priorities for a new, co-ordinated approach to revitalising the seaside resort.

A high-profile art project, the World's Longest Bench, could also feature in a facelift for the seafront (see separate story).

Added to existing schemes including the £11m community hospital, proposed £35m Academy school and £11m river wall, and the new proposals for housing in north Littlehampton and a link road to the A27, they make up the largest package of measures to transform the town seen in modern times.

Masterplan

Details of the emerging masterplan for Littlehampton were given this week, ahead of the first meeting next week of a new Littlehampton regeneration sub-committee set up by Arun District Council to co-ordinate separate major initiatives by councils, the harbour board, developers and other agencies.

One project which is unlikely to make it to the drawing board, however, is moving the swimming and sports centre from its seafront location into the town centre St Martin's car park, one of the initial ideas in the Littlehampton Vision initiative a few years ago.

Arun and its consultants now believe the centre should stay put, with the focus at the car park now being on developing a further retail area, behind and alongside the Sainsbury's and Somerfield supermarkets, to create a shopping square. Housing could also be included, and parking spaces could be reorganised in a multi-storey building.

Detailed study

The council is about to ask consultants, who have already reported that the scheme would be feasible, to now carry out a further, more detailed study on how the site could be developed.

In the harbour, plans are being drawn up which will see a future much more based on leisure boating. Details are under wraps until later this year, but Arun chief executive Ian Sumnall said any development on the west bank of the river would not be along the urban lines of the East Bank regeneration of five years ago, and would have to be directly related to the river and leisure uses.

One site which could see further housing, however, on the east bank, is Railway Wharf, if commercial shipping in the harbour ceases and the site becomes available.

Improvements

The new river wall, which the Environment Agency has given high priority in a draft coastal defence strategy, would not only lift the blight on development in the town caused by the risk from flooding, but would also enable improvements in the Pier Road area, possibly including a new boardwalk for pedestrians.

Better cycling and pedestrian links and public transport, especially bus services, would also be key to the town's future growth, officers will tell the sub-committee meeting on Wednesday. It is made up of four Littlehampton councillors, three members of Arun's cabinet and another senior councillor.

Mr Sumnall said: "This is the biggest, most comprehensive and most forward-thinking look at Littlehampton's future. We are taking about the next 20 years.

"It also has the objective of looking at the seafront, harbour, town centre and any other new development in a joined-up way."