Project to spruce up two key town sites approved
Council approves funding for Bognor projects
Funding to improve the Sunken Gardens and Place St Maur in Bognor Regis has been given the nod by Arun District Council.
Some £370,000 will be spent on the Place St Maur project, to complete the through-route from the railway station to the seafront.
The Tarmac will be replaced and an area of soft landscaping added alongside water jets, lighting, seating and a space for events.
Work will also be carried out to find a solution for the area’s poor drainage.
The project will be backed by £1.2million from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
At a full council meeting last Wednesday, a suggestion was made that the project should be delayed until other regeneration proposals were heard.
Grant Roberts (Con, Arundel & Walberton) told the meeting ‘at least one’ of those proposals ‘may involve taking the cost of this’.
A delay, though, would lead to the loss of the local enterprise partnership money, which has to be spent by March 31, 2022, something leader Dr James Walsh said would be like ‘kicking a gift horse in the mouth’.
Philippa Dart, director of services, said this would not prevent other schemes coming forward.
“It’s an absolutely fabulous exciting scheme,” she said.
Another £500,000 will be spent on improvements to the Sunken Gardens, including moving the play area, building a new entrance, refurbishing the planting borders and looking at the seating within the gardens.
It is hoped families will be attracted to the site while addressing anti-social behaviour issues.
While concerns were raised about the cost, it was approved by 24 votes to 0 with 22 abstentions.
Pumping life back into the Sunken Gardens was an election pledge from the Liberal Democrats.
After the meeting, Matt Stanley, cabinet member for technical services, said: “This is a great opportunity to revitalise a piece of community green space.
“The gardens hold a special place in the hearts of many Bognor Regis residents.
“This work will seek to make the gardens more family friendly and amongst other things finally open up the southern entrance.”
Mr Stanley said both projects were expected to be finished early next year.
How would you regenerate Bognor Regis? Send us your ideas to ws.letters@jpimedia.co.uk
Keep up to date with all the latest news from across West Sussex by visiting our website – go to www.westsussextoday. co.uk
Staff at Gatwick Airport have been hit with a ‘devastating blow’ as up to 1,100 jobs are set to be axed.
One of the largest European budget airlines operating from Gatwick Airport has announced it will focus on short haul flights as it said long haul flights are ‘not viable’ due to travel restrictions and Government advice amid the coronavirus pandemic. A spokesman for Norwegian confirmed at Gatwick around 1,100 long haul pilots and cabin crew will be affected. In total 2,160 long haul pilots and crew will be affected globally across its bases.