North Bersted landowners clash with Ford over homes

The North Bersted consortium wants its location north of Chalcraft Lane to be given the go-ahead to support a new town of up to 6,000 people. They would live in a maximum of 2,750 dwellings.

The major new development would replace farmland and would be more than four times the size of the controversial site six scheme of 650 homes on the other side of North Bersted.

Last August, Arun District Council favoured the 'north-west Bognor Regis' area as the location for the next big residential development after 2016.

But little has since emerged publically about the favoured option because of uncertainty over how many new homes the district will be expected to accommodate in the coming decade and the furore about the Ford eco-town plans for 5,000 homes.

A plea for the 'north-west Bognor' scheme to be favoured as an urban extension to the existing populated area was made to the Arun select committee hearings about the Ford eco-town proposals which ended last week.

The principal landowners off Chalcraft Lane '“ the Church Commissioners for England and David Langmead '“ used property experts John Siraut and Ben Simpson to press their case.

A joint report by Mr Siraut, of Colin Buchanan and Partners Ltd, and Drivers Jonas' Ben Simpson said extending the urban area would provide the better deal for Bognor. It would complement work to regenerate the town centre.

"By enabling developments to occur as urban extensions, there is the potential to enhance the vitality and viability of the key towns in Arun," they said.

"Increased spend by new residents will enable the towns to improve their retail offer which, in turn, will reduce the very high level of retail spend leakage that currently occurs.

"Additional population and spend will also help support a wide range of community facilities.

"By potentially diverting investment away from these towns, the proposals at Ford seriously risk undermining the regeneration opportunities for these seaside towns."

The 'north-west Bognor' development would include:

n about 1,500 sustainable homes, including affordable dwellings, with a younger population than the surrounding area;

n some 37,000sq m of employment floorspace to enable up to 2,000 jobs to be created in a range of industries close to people's homes;

n local shops and health facilities to benefit the existing residents along Chalcraft Lane as well as the new estate;

n a green arc of open space and wetlands around the western boundary to drain the development and provide a network of footpaths;

n a new primary school and potential contributions to improve existing secondary school services; and

n new roads, including a link road from the A259 through the development to Chalcraft Lane, and public transport links to the town centre.

Mr Siraut and Mr Simpson claim the extra residents will also help to support the school network around Bognor.

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