Regeneration plans in Bognor in ruins

Hugh Coster, the deputy chairman of the town's civic society, said the proposals for the Regis Centre and Hothamton locations had been wrecked by the economic depression.

The severe downturn had inflicted such an impact on the housing market that the flat-based schemes were no longer feasible.

"Putting 168 flats on the Regis Centre and a lot more on the Hothamton site is an idea which is completely and utterly ruined," he told the society's latest meeting.

"Why can't St Modwen come forward with a range of ideas so that they have got a good idea about what people like and don't like? We need to be changing with the times."

Society chairman Laurie Barnes said: "No person in the town is remotely interested in flats on the seafront. What they are interested in is a leisure-based complex."

Their comments came amid lively scenes at the meeting which erupted in uproar at times as some 50 members fiercely challenged Arun District Council chief executive Ian Sumnall and Bognor regeneration co-ordinator Richard McMann about the St Modwen proposals.

A particular flashpoint during the two-and-a-half hour session was the controversial topic of flats on the Regis Centre site after Mr Sumnall said a mixed use development there was still likely.

The meeting was the first public debate in the town about the issue since it was announced Arun and St Modwen wanted to put the 100m ideas on hold for up to three years.

Arun's members are expected to ratify the move on April 15.

Originally, St Modwen was due to move forward by last December 31. This was extended to last Tuesday ( March 31) before the credit crunch sent the property market sliding downwards and saw St Modwen ask for another and longer extension up to March 31, 2012.

This will be subject to three monthly reviews to ensure any changes to the financial situation can be quickly spotted.

But the idea of the St Modwen scheme '“ with its flats, combined live entertainment and cinema venue and bars and restaurants on the seafront and flats, offices and a shop in the Queensway '“ still being considered for a further three years alarmed some civic society members.

Civic society member Gary Oakes said: "We really don't know how St Modwen are going to come out of the current conditions.

"It's a real millstone around the town's neck to saddle us with this scheme. There is no reason why St Modwen should not be able to come back with another proposal."

Deborah Harper, another civic society member, stated: "We don't know that St Modwen will not pull out after three years."

But Mr Sumnall defended the council's position in staying with St Modwen rather than looking around for another developer or asking for another scheme.

He said: "St Modwen are a proven developer with a proven development brief. It gives us confidence and gives them confidence about wanting to proceed and stay in the town.

No one knows what the economic situation is going to be in 12 months, 24 months or 36 months.

"A 30-storey tower block (on Hothamton) is not going to be viable in the near future. These things have changed.

"But what we are not prepared to do is to start re-writing the development brief. If we wanted to start changing the overall scheme, we would have to go back to the beginning. It's taken ten years to get this far."

Further consultation would take place as St Modwen progressed its plans once the company and the council decided to move forward again, he pledged.

Mr McMann pointed out that there was more to Bognor's regeneration than the two town-centre sites. "I don't accept that the whole regeneration programme is St Modwen and St Modwen's alone," he said. "There is investment and growth going on in Bognor in these difficult economic times."

This was happening through the University of Chichester, Butlins and Bognor Regis Community College.

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