'Equal and dignified' Bognor Regis church access plans approved

Alterations can be made to the main entrance of the grade II listed church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Clarence Road, Arun District Council planning officers decided as they were relatively minor and sympathetic in design.

A design and access statement by Antony Feltham-King, of St Ann’s Gate Architects Ltd, said the church serves a diverse community in the centre of town.

““The principal entrance is from Clarence Road,” it said. “As originally designed, the main doors are set four steps above pavement level with a further single step immediately inside the narthex area.

“This sequence of steps makes this entrance impossible to navigate for people with significant mobility issues, such as wheelchair users and people with small children in pushchairs.”

The statement said the only accessible entry is on the southern side of the nave, which means travelling around to the eastern side of the building via Clarence Road, the High Street and Albert Road.

“This is a long travel distance and does not constitute ‘equal and dignified’ access for all,” the statement said.

“The intention is to remove the external steps and to bring the threshold of the doorway down towards the level of the external pavement.

“A ‘well’ area is to be created inside the narthex with sufficient space to access a short-travel platform lift on the south side and a new set of five steps rising to the main internal floor level.

“The current proposal retains the dignity of the architectural composition and has the added bonus of installing glass doors, facilitating a greater sense of welcome and enabling views into the building even when the doors are closed.

“People of all levels of ability and disability are able to enter the same door, fulfilling the brief for ‘equal and dignified’ access.”

To view the plans go to the Arun District Council planning portal and use the search reference BR/88/22/PL.