Facilities and development must work together

Whatever homes are built north of the town won't have the benefit of our Blue Flag beach and the sea.

I'm delighted to see we have several new businesses already moving into the town, so let's concentrate on redeveloping facilities in this grand seaside resort, making sure that any new dwellings become part of the existing community.

If developing north of the town will help this, good! However, extensive improvement to the infrastructure, particularly roads, including the A27, the Fitzalan Road extension and the bridge over the railway, must be part of any planning permission.

We all know of the ghastly failure over infrastructure and facilities in the past from developers around Littlehampton. If county, district and town councillors stand together over planning permission in a democracy, the decision should reflect the views of the local electorate.

The problem seems to lie with central government inspectors, who in recent times have ignored local people and local government's wishes.

Take, for example, the McCarthy & Stone development in Fitzalan Road/Church Street. It would appear that if planning permission is granted on appeal by an inspector, few, if any, conditions are attached, and once planning permission is granted, developers seem to have a free hand.

In the past, it would appear that the interests of the people who live here and visitors to the town have been disregarded.

With an election due shortly, let's have some new, constructive ideas which come to fruition for everyone's benefit.

M. Boulton

St Mary's Close

Littlehampton

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