A NEW LOOK FOR BOGNOR REGIS IS UNVEILED

Around 2,200 local people attended a public exhibition last week, hosted by St Modwen, to view their initial concepts for the regeneration of the Regis Centre and Hothamton sites in Bognor Regis town centre.

The exhibition was held from Wednesday to Saturday at the Bognor Regis Methodist Church in the town centre, where local residents were able to view the initial proposals and speak to representatives of St Modwen, their architects and transport consultants about the concepts presented. The public were able to provide their feedback and comments direct to the development team and also complete a community questionnaire.

Many ideas were presented, including an enhanced and accessible promenade with a small lido pool, cafes and restaurants overlooking the sea, a film and live performance venue, outdoor performance space, a bowling alley, new retail (which may be a foodstore), offices a relocated library and a new health centre.

Gary Morris, Senior Development Manager of St Modwen, comments:

“We were delighted, though not surprised, at the vast number of people who attended the exhibition. The large numbers clearly reflect just how important the regeneration of Bognor Regis is to the people who live and work there and we are grateful that so many people took the time to come and speak to us. This is a really exciting time for the town and it is vitally important that we consult the local community at this stage so that their ideas and input can help shape the form of proposals.

"Initial feedback was extremely positive and we were given some given some very good and sensible views of what the public thought would be exciting ideas for the two sites.

Whilst much of what we presented was well received, we appreciate that there were a number of concerns, centred primarily on the closure of The Esplanade and the height of the tower on Hothamton site. Over the next few months, we will be working closely with the District and County Councils to find possible solutions to the highway related matters and also testing the implications of a tower in the location proposed.

Following analysis of feedback from the first January consultation, St Modwen will present more detailed proposals on all aspects of the proposals at the next public exhibition in late spring/ early summer.

Concludes Gary Morris: “Our aim is to create a year round destination to enhance the day-to-day experiences of both residents and visitors. In providing a wide range of quality leisure, entertainment, residential and community facilities and attractive open spaces, we will create a vibrant destination in a spectacular setting which will re-establish Bognor Regis as a memorable experience for both residents and visitors alike.”

A copy of the information displayed at the public exhibition and the feedback form are now available on the project website www.stmodwen-bognorregis.co.uk. Copies of the exhibition handout and questionnaire are also available at a number of central community venues.