Residents accuse developer of greed over homes plan

A developer which wants to add 25 per cent more homes to a North Bersted estate has been accused of greed.

Angry residents said the latest proposal by Berkeley Homes (Southern) was aimed at boosting its profits rather than helping the surrounding area.

The company last week (MAR 12) unveiled its plan for another 106 homes to be sited on its already approved Bersted Park development of 434 dwellings between Chichester Road and the yet to be built Bognor Regis northern relief road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Elizabeth Lumley, who has lived on South Way for 27 years, said she felt betrayed by the intended additional homes.

"This is all about making money for Berkeley Homes and nothing about the local community. I am absolutely seething about these plans. The exhibition is a farce. Berkeley Homes has made up its mind already.

"There are going to be another 106 houses and the traffic from them is going to be piling on to the A259. It can't cope with the number of vehicles it has got already. The houses are also going to be built next to a flood plain."

Former Bersted Parish Council chairman Cllr Vicky Hennessy said: "We warned this would happen right at the very beginning. This is greed. It's just ridiculous.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"There are no jobs in Bognor for the people who will live in these homes and they are going to put the local services under even more strain."

The go-ahead for the development '“ which consists of 650 homes split between two housebuilders '“ was given by the government in December 2006. Arun District Council began to approve the details in January 2008.

But Berkeley Homes (Southern) land and planning director Andrew McPhillips said planning for Bersted Park took place before the recession.

"We have got a lot of four and five bedroom houses in Bersted Park and, as a business, we are concerned about their viability.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We have reduced the number of those houses and increased the number of smaller four bedroom houses and of three bedroom terraced semi-detached and detached houses. This will make the properties more affordable to local people," he said.

"We have not extended the boundaries of the development and we have kept the same standard of design and quality of accommodation. Landmark buildings such as The Boulevard and Manor House remain."

What do you think? Send a letter to [email protected] or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click here to add yourself to our readers' map.

Related topics: