Littlehampton Seafront Regeneration plans progress as they gain approval from Arun District Council.
The plans for a £7.2 million regeneration of Littlehampton’s seafront between East Beach, South Terrace and Windmill Road submitted in October, have gained planning permission from the council’s planning committee at a meeting on Thursday, December 14.
An objection was registered from the local flood authority, West Sussex County Council, saying flood and drainage reports did not accord with the NPPF or Arun’s Local Planning – increasing the risk of flooding ‘elsewhere, upstream, or downstream from the site or general vicinity’.
Arun District Council officers and members noted that WSCC had not exactly specified where the increase in flood risk as a result of development would be, with members unsure why they had objected with a lack of specificity.
Two Littlehampton residents objected to the scheme, saying small businesses would suffer for a loss of visitor attraction to seafront guest house accommodation along South Terrace.
One of the objectors said he owns a guest house on the road that has been there for around 130 years, and that the main selling point is the seafront view, stating this could be lost to trees planted for the regeneration scheme.
He said: “The hospitality economy is here in Littlehampton, guesthouses on south terrace deliver an estimated £1 million a year to local restaurants and shops. Are you ready to put the sustainability of existing small accommodation businesses and restaurants at risk?”
He said his guest house posted an online campaign to save the open green space currently there, which was seen by 5,000 people, and asked the committee to hold tree planting until an agreement between businesses, ward members and police could be reached.
Mike Northeast (Lab, Courtwick with Toddington) said the plans will only help to ‘enhance’ the town’s seafront, and trees will be planted far enough apart to keep sea views through them.
He said: “I think where the problem could arise is after the five year maintenance contract comes to an end and [the trees] are left to their own devices – we all know that when left, plants will just grow into one another.
“I think it’s imperative that the maintenance and the pollarding of those trees are kept up to scratch, and that there is a link between the landscapers and the accommodation down there.
Council officers noted they had actually secured maintenance contracts for 25 years for this scheme, instead of the standard five.
Shaun Gunner (Con, Rustington East) said he ‘struggled’ to see how ‘lovely’ planting and water features, and new toilets and outdoor eating areas would ‘undermine’ the town’s economy. He said: “I think this is a really positive application – I certainly think, the views of this [scheme] will be nicer than the views of the Windmill Cinema and the former Harvester.”
