Independent shop owners fear for their future with the prospect of an out-of-town destination going up in place of the former Body Shop head office building and two neighbouring Amazon warehouses.
Hallway Properties Ltd, owned by the billionaire Pears family, has submitted plans to replace the old Body Shop headquarters and the former Amazon warehouses and build nine shops.
Some of the new premises could become places to eat or even leisure venues – but the scale of the project has set alarm bells ringing.
A senior official at Arun District Council, Miriam Nicholls, said: “While the reuse of vacant land is welcome in principle, this proposal risks undermining the long-term health of Littlehampton’s town centre, affecting the vibrancy of Rustington village centre and contradicts the principles of sustainable, community-focused development.”
Work to demolish the three-storey old Body Shop HQ is already under way, having started last month after plans were approved in March.
The work follows an announcement by the cosmetics company last October that it was moving its head office to Brighton – where Anita Roddick opened the first shop.
Earlier in the year, the company was bought out of administration by the Aurea Group.
Now, Hallway has lodged plans to redevelop Units 5-7 at the Watersmead Business Park, in Norway Lane, off the A259 Worthing Road, Littlehampton
It also plans to change the road layout and pedestrian routes at the site and to create more parking spaces, including bays with electric car charging points.
Hallways said that the scheme would bring inward investment to Littlehampton, make good use of a brownfield site and create 250 jobs.
But Mirian Nicholls, the business and economy manager, in the economic development team, at Arun District Council warned that the plans could divert a vital £4 million away from town centre traders.
She said: “The introduction of a large out-of-town retail park poses a significant threat to the vitality and viability of Littlehampton’s historic town centre.
“The town centre is already facing challenges from changing retail habits, and this development risks accelerating its decline by
- diverting footfall away from the town centre, reducing trade for independent shops and local businesses.
- undermining regeneration efforts and recent investments aimed at revitalising the town centre.
- creating an uneven playing field, as national chains in out-of-town locations often benefit from lower overheads and easier access.
“This development with a diversion of almost £4 million in trade could lead to increased vacancy rates, a loss of local character and a diminished sense of community in the town centre.
“Despite the positive findings of the (applicant’s) retail impact assessment, local business sentiment paints a different picture.
“Littlehampton town centre cannot withstand diversion of trade elsewhere. The convenience offer brings footfall to the town centre, which sustains, at a low level, the independent retailers – Littlehampton town centre has 85 per cent independent retailers.
“Monthly meetings with local retailers have been passionate and vocal as businesses disappear before their eyes.
“A strategy has been drawn up to try to recover what is a town centre on a knife edge. The vacancy rate, while at national average, has a greater impact due to the compact nature of the town centre and the area the vacancy rate covers.
“Significant steps to encourage trade and visitors to Littlehampton town centre have been started but they will be of no consequence if further trade is diverted from the town and not replaced.
“While we recognise the applicants proposed mitigation measures, we believe these are in no way significant enough to overcome the potential damage to Littlehampton town centre.
“To ensure the resilience and relevance of Littlehampton town centre, we suggest the appointment of a town centre manager with a five-year budget (total cost £1 million) could be appropriate mitigation.
“The town centre manager would work on actions in the existing Town Centre Action Group Strategy and Plan.
- Champion the town centre
– Act as a dedicated advocate for the town centre’s interests in the face of new competition.
– Co-ordinate with local businesses, councils and stakeholders to promote the town centre’s unique identity.
- Drive footfall
– Organise events, markets and seasonal campaigns to attract visitors.
– Develop loyalty schemes or partnerships with local businesses to encourage repeat visits.
- Support independent retailers
– Offer business support, training and marketing advice to help small shops adapt and compete.
– Facilitate collaborative promotions or shared services (eg, delivery, digital platforms).
- Enhance the experience
– Work with the council to improve public realm, signage and accessibility.
– Encourage evening economy development (eg, cafés, leisure, cultural events) to diversify the offer.
- Monitor and respond
– Track footfall, vacancy rates and customer feedback to identify trends early.
– Use data to adjust strategies and advocate for further investment or policy support.
“We have considered the impact on Rustington village centre and consider that the impact, as the retail study identifies, will be less significant than Littlehampton.
“We would suggest a contribution be made to Rustington Parish Council to be used in whatever way the local retailers consider best to maintain the vibrancy of the village centre and shopping experience.
“While the reuse of vacant land is welcome in principle, this proposal risks undermining the long-term health of Littlehampton’s town centre, affecting the vibrancy of Rustington village centre and contradicts the principles of sustainable, community-focused development.”
The plans are due to be decided by Thursday 28 August and can be found on Arun District Council’s website by searching for reference LU/93/25/PL.
