Tweaks to £80m proposals as Sir Richard Hotham resubmits plans

Residents can now have their say on the Sir Richard Hotham Project's latest £80million plans to regenerate Bognor Regis.
ks1500451-2 Bog Regeneration phot kate

Director of the Sir Richard Hotham project, Thomas Elliott.ks1500451-2 SUS-150915-183624008ks1500451-2 Bog Regeneration phot kate

Director of the Sir Richard Hotham project, Thomas Elliott.ks1500451-2 SUS-150915-183624008
ks1500451-2 Bog Regeneration phot kate Director of the Sir Richard Hotham project, Thomas Elliott.ks1500451-2 SUS-150915-183624008

The firm has resubmitted its plans, following rejection by Arun District Council’s planning committee in March.

Its tweaked designs, which include double the level of affordable housing, could be determined in January.

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Sir Richard Hotham partner Paul Rumke said: “We know this plan will create jobs for local people, and these have the potential to grow and last, literally for generations.”

The plans involve ambitious redevelopment of three sites: the Regis Centre, Hothampton and the Esplanade Theatre.

The Regis Centre would accommodate a mixed-use development, including a 64-room hotel and 192 apartments – 30 per cent of which would be affordable.

A new boardwalk would be constructed and Place St Maur turned into a plaza.

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A 1,100-seat theatre, 48-bed hotel and conference facility, two retail units and upgrade of the children’s play area on the Hothampton car park is planned. The Esplanade Theatre would also become a 200-cover restaurant.

A letter to Arun by Susan Leeson, associate at planning agents Neame Sutton, said the principle of the plans was the same. But tweaks to the design, she said, had attempted to address previous refusal reasons.

As well as increased affordable housing, the Regis Centre hotel was no longer ‘standalone’ but located above the proposed pub/restaurant.

A new arts centre, including indoor golf, rock climbing and skydiving is planned for the ground floor of the Regis Centre site. Two retail units have been added to the rear of the Hothampton theatre.

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The application, reference BR/156/16/PL, is now open for public comments.

A spokesman for Arun District Council confirmed it would not outsource the officers’ report to a consultant, as it did for the original, as the planning department had recruited a new officer.

Arun has requested a Planning Performance Agreement be signed so it can achieve the project’s requested timetable for determining the plans.