Plans for Pagham Harbour visitor centre receive backing

Tests are being planned this month for land at the former Sidlesham Ferry landfill site, to check its suitability for a new Pagham Harbour visitor centre '“ following public backing for the proposals.

A total of 182 people responded to a public consultation last year on proposals for a new centre. Some 10,000 questionnaires were distributed during the consultation, and a project team went to public events across the Manhood Peninsula to answer questions on the proposals.

Cllr Deborah Urquhart, county cabinet member for environment and economy, said the majority of respondents were overwhelmingly supportive of the proposals, and gave their views on what they would like to see included for a visitor centre.

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"At this stage this is still a feasibility study. We thank everyone who has shared their views so far, all of which are helping to shape the project, and we will continue to welcome input in the future," she added.

Partners working with the county council on the project are the Environment Agency, which owns Pagham Harbour, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which was who were invited to take part because of its expertise in managing visitors at important wildlife sites, and the South East England Development Agency, which has funded much of the early work.

"The project partners have been working closely with local community groups, businesses and landowners, and have received the full support of the Friends of Pagham Harbour for the proposals," said a statement issued by County Hall.

Cllr Urquhart said there had been some recent speculation about the scale of the proposals, with claims that there would be adjoining retail outlets to the visitor centre, but this was totally unfounded.

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"We are still determining the best location for a new visitor centre and the facilities it should have, but I can confirm that with the exception of a small caf and visitor shop, retail outlets have never even been considered and the visitor centre is not intended to be a major tourist attraction," she added.

"The most important thing is that if people have any fears, they come to us and share them. We are confident that, when people know the facts, this is a project for local people to be proud of, not scared of."

Funding of 50,000 from SEEDA and 75,000 from the Environment Agency now means that investigative work can be carried out into the former Sidlesham landfill site to assess where a visitor centre could be sited and how to make the landfill site safe.

Cllr Urquhart added: "The results of the public consultation, the information from the site investigations and other supporting work carried out for the feasibility study will form the basis of the final recommendations later this year."

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The next stage of the project will then be to commission designs for a new building and a landscaping plan for the landfill site.

"When the project is completed, we are confident that it will be an example of best practice in dealing with former landfill sites, and will help set standards nationally for how such sites can be treated," she said.

For further information on the proposals visit the County Council website at www.westsussex.gov.uk/paghamharbour.

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