Plans to save Pagham wartime defences revealed

A Second World War infantry section post on land to be developed for housing in Pagham is to be retained in a landscaped area.
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The issue of the sentry box had led to delays on a decision on an outline application to build 280 homes with land for a replacement scout hut, a community response post facility and either a care home or primary school on land north of Sefter Road.

In November 2018, Arun District Council resolved to approve the application but the decision was looked at again in September 2019 so members could consider the impact on the post.

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They then deferred that application until a commitment could be secured from Taylor Wimpey that the post would be protected.

The proposed development in PaghamThe proposed development in Pagham
The proposed development in Pagham

A report to a meeting of the development control committee in October 2019 said the developer had accepted a condition that, before any building work started, details would be provided explaining how the post would be integrated into the development.

Now Taylor Wimpey has submitted those details to the council in a report by CGMS Consulting.

It said the well preserved post was built as part of the perimeter defences around Bognor Regis and was an unusual L-shape built of brick and concrete.

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The post may have had links to the 2nd battalion of the Bedfordshire regiment.

Plans included clearing the overgrown planting around the post, making it safe and making a written, photographic and drawn record of the site.

The report said the post would be retained in situ but would not be publicly accessible for safety reasons.

It would be in a landscaped area within the proposed development.

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The details can be viewed on the Arun District Council planning portal using reference P/96/21/DOC.

Read about the last meeting: https://www.bognor.co.uk/news/politics/pagham-wartime-defences-be-saved-demolition-2026151