More funds means Bognor task force can survive

The team dedicated to bettering the town has survived beyond its expected demise because of an unexpected source of funding.

This has enabled three of the four-strong group of Arun District Council officers to carry on in their town hall rooms for at least a further six months.

Task force co-ordinator Richard McMann said the time until the end of the September would be as busy as any he had known in the role since he began in January 2007.

"The most obvious thing for us to be doing is to be preparing our case for the public inquiry into the Sainsbury's plans for the former Lec Refrigeration site," he said.

"The regeneration team needs to be part of that inquiry and give evidence as to why we support it and think the planning inspector should support it as well.

"There is a real regeneration benefit for the town in the proposals as well as the use of an important derelict site.

"Sainsbury's being allowed to open there will mean a 50m investment and 400 new jobs.

"That is something the town needs.

"There is also the more than 900,000 of benefits which we negotiated with Sainsbury's for the town centre and to encourage new businesses.

"We think the scheme would be a great catalyst and a boost for the town if it was allowed to go ahead.

"I hope the planning inspector will look at the local benefits of the scheme as well as considering it against the national planning guidelines."

The proposals for the 55,00sq ft store and a petrol filling station were backed by Arun's members last October.

However, he government's secretary of state for communities and local government, John Denham, overruled them because of concerns about the town centre's retailing health.

He ordered a public inquiry for an impartial view of the scheme to be reached.

The inquiry, to be chaired by planning inspector SA Moss, will begin at Bognor Regis Town Hall on May 11.

It is likely to last for eight days.

A far more immediately visible result of the task force's continued presence will be the imminent arrival of the seafront fitness trail.

Dubbed Flex on the Beach, this will consist of 26 pieces of outdoor keep-fit equipment with something for everyone to use.

They will include parallel bars, leg presses, sit-up benches and an air-walker.

They will be sited between West Park in Aldwick and Longbrook in Felpham to add to the existing items at both locations.

Mr McMann said: "All the equipment is on order and all the plans are in place for the trail to be launched next month."

The 36,000 project was the work of the task force's former project and programme manager, Paula Welland.

She is its sole member to leave so far '“ last Wednesday.

Paula played a key role in the seafront strategy which led to the trail being approved by councillors and the public.

The three remaining task force members '“ Mr McMann, research and development officer Lucy Knott and support officer Jane Gaughan '“ will continue until September 30.

They will be reduced to two for the following six months until the task force is expected to formally end next March 31.

It has been largely funded by government monies but a change in their distribution saw the amount received by Arun slashed.

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