Garden plan blooms

The elevated greenery was proposed for the West Street building by Will Harvey and Abby Wilkinson of creative agency Loosemarbles.

Mr Harvey said at last Friday’s (May 11) meeting: “We want to put a roof garden on the health centre so it’s full of aromas and is a healthy building. We want to paint it in bright colours and put a wind turbine on it.

“The technology is there. What would people rather look at? A barracks painted in two tones of grey or something that is colourful and fun and sends a message.”

The appearance of the health centre, currently covered in scaffolding, has been criticised since it opened in 1974. An NHS official called it ‘a bit like a fortress’.

Mr Harvey and Ms Wilkinson have also devised other projects to put the colour back into Bognor and which have been covered in the Observer.

The Felpham couple are among the fiercest critics of the St Modwen scheme for the Regis Centre site with its centrepiece of a multiplex and restaurants and bars.

“It’s all about money to St Modwen. They don’t listen. They just come along and inflict their views and they are so out-dated. You are talking about views from the Eighties and the world has changed,” said Mr Harvey.

The couple have also proposed colourful projects around the town centre.

Cllr Norman Dingemans, of Arun District Council’s Tory-run cabinet, said it was aware of the need to make Bognor brighter.

A total of £300,000 – £100,000 each from Sainsbury’s and the district and county councils – would be spent improving the town centre.

“It could be simple things like taking down rusty flagpoles. We also want something that will connect London Road with the station and the seafront.

“It could be trees or different coloured paving. We are working with the shopkeepers to see how we can bring the town centre alive.”

Cllr Phil Hitchins, an Arun member for Aldwick West, said: “We are talking to Abby and Will, as well as others. Arun is not doing this in isolation and saying we know best.”