Minister inspects Littlehampton’s £22.1m flood defence

Pictured left to right: James Frew, of VolkerStevin, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, Dan Robinson, Environment Minister, Dave Robinson, EA operations manager and James Humphrys, EA area manager

Dan Rogerson paid his first visit to Pier Road, to inspect how the final stages of the tidal defences, which will stretch along the River Arun, were progressing.

Mr Rogerson, who was also accompanied by project partners from Arun District Council and the Environment Agency, as well as the MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Nick Gibb, said he was ‘very pleased’ with how the scheme was going.

“It’s a huge project and it’s a great news story for Littlehampton in terms of safety,” said Mr Rogerson. “It will be protecting about 1,000 properties from flooding.

“I’m very pleased at how the project is coming along.”

The minister’s visit comes in the wake of an unprecedented six-year £2.3billion flood defence programme announced by the Government earlier this month.

Speaking of the visit, Nick Gibb said it was a ‘real pleasure’ to welcome the minister to Littlehampton and to see first-hand how the £22.2m scheme would protect thousands from tidal river flooding for decades to come.

“At a time of public spending constraint, it is a real achievement to have been able to build these new defences which are so vital for Littlehampton’s security and to ensure businesses have the confidence to invest,” he said.