Work to improve key Bognor seafront seat given the go-ahead

Work to improve a key Bognor Regis seafront site has been given the go-ahead.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Arun District Council is set to transform Place St Maur, currently a barren piece of hardstanding next to the Regis Centre, with multi-coloured paving, landscaping, water jets, lighting and seating.

Designs for the £1.8m project, of which £1.2m is being funded from a Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership grant, were agreed earlier this year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Last night (Thursday May 27), Arun’s new environment and neighbourhood services committee approved the heads of terms for the construction contract procurement process so work can go ahead.

Preferred design for Place St Maur improvementsPreferred design for Place St Maur improvements
Preferred design for Place St Maur improvements

The duration of the contract would be six months with the capital works costing £1.5m.

Councillors also gave the green light for £70,000 to be spent on traffic studies for The Esplanade, which will assess the impact of temporarily closing a section of the road for holding events.

Paul English (Con, Felpham East) said: “I do now deeply like the project and would like to think under this administration we are going to be moving this project forward and have more events, more trees, more seating and more visitors coming to see these events and coming to see this area.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It’s going to be an asset for Bognor Regis and long may it continue.”

Claire Needs (LDem, Aldwick West) asked for and was given reassurance by officers that accessibility had been designed into the improvements.

Samantha-Jayne Staniforth (Con, Orchard) told the meeting that while public toilets were not planned on this site, the council was looking at where it could accommodate a changing places facility in the town. She added: “I’m pushing like mad for a changing places toilet.”

Meanwhile Steve Goodheart (Arun Ind, Hotham) asked if there were any physical improvements or changes to the Esplanade which the council hoped would result from the study such as a one-way system or herringbone parking.

In response, David Edwards (Con, Felpham East), chair of the committee, explained how the study would enable the council to have some ideas about what could be done with the seafront road.

Related topics: