Littlehampton ‘carbuncle’ finally reduced to rubble

Contractors have been completing the demolition of the former Arun District Council housing offices in Church Street.

The work has been underway for several weeks, but by yesterday (Tuesday, August 20), most of the utilitarian addition to the Manor House had been taken down.

Just over two years ago, Arun housing staff vacated the 1960s block, which butts up against the Littlehampton Town Council-owned Manor House, a listed building.

It had remained empty, increasingly dilapidated and vulnerable to vandals and thieves who have broken in at least twice.

The site was acquired more than a year ago by the town council, which hopes to build a community centre much more in keeping with its graceful neighbour.

In March, Arun’s development control committee approved the demolition of the office block and essential remedial work to the east elevation of the Manor House afterwards, as well as the use of the cleared site as a temporary garden area.

It is hoped a new community centre, with up to 750 sq m of internal floor space, will be built on the site, replacing the Dairy Community Centre which the town council also owns, just across the road, which is set to be redeveloped as a site for 15 homes, in the next five years.

The block, built in 1968, was designed by the now defunct Littlehampton Urban District Council’s architects department.