Coast landmark to go

In its place the RAF Benevolent Fund will build a 98-room care home, 36 sheltered housing units and a separate block of four flats.

The scheme was approved by Arun planning councillors last week, in spite of 19 letters of objection from people living near Princess Marina House.

The redevelopment will enable the fund to bring the greater part of its care accommodation onto one site.

Currently, the two main buildings are separated by Seafield Road, but this will be diverted to allow the new care home and sheltered housing to be linked, with only the block of four flats across the road.

To allow for a doubling of beds at the home from 40-50 at present to 98, the new building will be three storeys high, compared with the existing two-storey Princess Marina House, but Arun planning officers said it would be difficult to justify refusing the proposals on the ground that it was too large, although, ideally, it should be lower and not extend as far south towards the sea.

The size and height of the new buildings were the main cause for criticism by objectors. They also claimed the designs were "too modern", that sea views of neighbouring properties would be lost and that, while the overall accommodation was being increased by 40 per cent, parking was being cut from 67 to 50 places, increasing pressure on parking in surrounding streets.

A number of letters were received supporting the redevelopment and Rustington Parish Council raised no objection.

The planning officers' report to the development control committee said the impact of the new, taller building would be softened by its distance from neighbouring properties. The style was a fairly simple, modern design with much glazing and its provision of increased accommodation fitted in with government policies to boost housing density.

Traffic problems could be overcome by staff car-sharing initiatives, use of a minibus and cycling.

Councillors imposed 21 conditions on the redevelopment, including measures to reduce noise and dust nuisance during construction work.