Bognor Regis Regeneration

The Bognor Regis regeneration consisted of the creation of over 6,000sqm commercial and leisure space as well as restaurants and bars, hotel accommodation, residential apartments and a new 1,100 seat theatre.  RGP worked closely with the Highway Authority to agree an access strategy and an approach to assessing the very sensitive matter of car parking in the town.  The preferred access strategy meant that many junctions in and around the town had to be modelled to understand post-development conditions of capacity, although the County Council recognised that the regeneration sites are highly accessible.  RGP worked closely with the architects applying the assessment methodologies in an iterative way to find the optimum scheme.

Regrettably, whilst RGP was able to agree a ‘no objection’ recommendation with the County Highway Authority, and despite a positive recommendation for the application from the Arun District Council planning officer, the Council members of Arun District Council continued in their objections to the scheme, including loss of public car parking spaces, which led to a refusal at planning committee.

RGP attended the ensuing Appeal Hearing and was able to agree the matter of car parking with Arun District Council officers in a Statement of Common Ground.  The Inspector decided that Arun District Council had acted unreasonably in pursuing a refusal based on loss of parking in light of the evidence provided by RGP to the contrary throughout the application process and awarded costs to the Appellant for this aspect of the appeal.