West Sussex County Council allocates £1.369million to public realm improvements on Bognor Regis seafront

The money for work along The Esplanade was approved by Steve Waight, cabinet member for support services & economic development, on Thursday (May 23).

The work forms part of the Arun Growth Deal – a commitment between the county council and Arun District Council to focus resources and investment on economic growth priorities.

It will include the creation of a 20mph zone, complete with traffic calming, between Lennox Street and Clarence Road.

The road will be narrowed to allow for in-ground rain gardens to be installed; and alterations will be made to car parking along thePromenade wall.

The Promenade railings will be upgraded, new benches and waste bins will be installed along the northern side of The Esplanade, and three electric vehicle charging points will be installed.

Martin Lury, leader of Arun District Council, said: “We welcome investment by West Sussex County Council in The Esplanade area as any attempt to embellish the prized seafront area can only add to its attractiveness to both residents and tourists alike.”

The scheme is being funded from the county council’s capital budget, with £1.8m set aside to cover the costs.

From that, £431,000 was allocated to pay for the design stages but only £233,000 was spent.

The remaining £198,000 will be added to the £1.369m to give an overall construction budget of £1.567m.

A procurement process will now be carried out to find a contractor to complete the work.

A report from Lee Harris, director of place services, said: “Upgrading the seafront infrastructure will provide improved public realm and crossing points across the highway between the beach and the town, creating an accessible and connected community space.

“This could be temporarily closed to through traffic for special short-term events in the future to provide enhanced opportunities for business, tourism and the visitor economy.”