Our valued asset

With reference to your article (Gazette, June 20) about Littlehampton Civic Society drawing up a community charter, I feel that we are in danger of being planned and chartered out.

It is a little unfair to the town council to say that they would support the demolition of the Windmill Entertainment Centre, to be replaced by a five-storey hotel. The neighbourhood plan being consulted on lists the Windmill as an ‘asset of community value’ in recognition of its importance to the life and enjoyment of the community.

It does, however, draw up protections in case Arun District Council, as planning authority, supports any proposals to relocate the Windmill. It specifically demands, in such an eventuality, ‘the re-provision of a theatre and cinema’ facility, either as part of any St Martin’s car park development, or elsewhere in the town. Most of us want to see the existing Windmill flourish with a new operator, digital projection and capital investment. However, if a new development comes along and we have the chance to be provided with better facilities for the community, we would be stupid not to consider them.

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What the community plan seeks to do is to demand that the replacement facilities are guaranteed in such an eventuality. Remember, under Arun’s stewardship, we lost cinema in the town at a moment’s notice, without anybody outside Arun’s inner sanctum having a say at all.

In my view, if the Harvester, Harbour Park, Arun and Inspire all worked together, we could create a terrific new entertainment facility on the seafront with a ‘wow’ factor which would incorporate the Windmill in the form of a new community space for film, theatre, arts and music.

I have great faith in the town council and I would urge it and the Civic Society to work together to produce a document to which they can both sign up.

Derrick Chester

Worthing Road

Wick

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