Felpham homes could create 'slums of the future'

Slums of the future could be created by a proposal to add dozens more homes to a large housing estate in Felpham.

The warning has been given by Bognor Regis Civic Society as Barratt David Wilson Homes seeks to increase its development by up to ten per cent.

The company is holding an exhibition from 1pm-7pm on July 22 at St Mary's Centre in Felpham about its proposals for a maximum of 70 more homes among the 700 already approved for Blakes Mead.

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Civic society deputy chairman Hugh Coster said: "It is all very well saying affordable housing is needed, and that is a laudable aim, but that has to be balanced against the quality of the development.

"We don't want to end up with an area which becomes a slum of the future because the properties are so small and so squeezed together.

"The homes might look nice now because they are so new but that will not be the case as they become older.

"We could end up with a development which in time is like one of those estates we have seen in northern towns being knocked out."

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He said the constant attempt to squeeze more housing into a development could result in an estate where houses lacked front gardens or even a pavement and fronted directly on to the kerb. Back gardens would also be cramped.

Felpham Parish Council chairman Paul English said the amount of proposed housing was within the ten per cent flexibility which the government said would be permitted when the scheme was given the go ahead.

"It is going to take a lot of reasons to stop this. But if they are going to build more homes we have to have something else on the estate other than bricks and mortar," he said.

It was important Barratt brought forward the provision of public facilities in the new development.

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"The children will need play areas and people will need a centre. Barratt do need to make sure there's a centre for people to go to.

That's what we have asked for for the benefit of Felpham's residents," he said.

Cllr Graham Matthews said: "A large number of four bedroom houses are being reduced but more one and two bedroom flats are going up. The application for this is due to go in sometime in August."