VOTE: Bognor relief road viaduct worries

The 17m project, which lies north of Arun Leisure Centre, is seen as the vital link enabling the progression of the badly-needed Bognor Regis relief road.

Planners gave the go-ahead to the viaduct at a district development meeting last week as many feared the road, which is being created to prevent the near-gridlock experienced by many entering Bognor on the A259 at peak times, would never be fully completed if it were not passed.

The 500-metre section of viaduct, standing around 10 metres high, replaces an initially-agreed embankment planned for the route of the relief road across the railway line and the Lidsey rife.

Council concerns

Developers Barratt argued that studies of the area around the proposed viaduct showed it to be chalky flood plain which would be unsuited to an embankment.

The plan's acceptance came despite objections from Bersted Parish Council, which had already registered considerable concerns over the two Site 6 development locations which include a total of 1,300 homes split across North Bersted and at Blake's Mead in Flansham Lane.

Last December, the district council agreed to allow developers an extension to complete the road by an additional year (to around 2014) '“ which the firms blamed on recessionary pressures.

Noise worries

Brian Knight, chairman of Bersted Parish council, believed the developers had already been given too much leeway on Site 6.

He said: "Our parish council objected to this as it has changed from what was agreed by the secretary of state. The whole Site 6 scheme has just become fragmented into small bits which should not be happening.

"The noise from a viaduct will probably be more than if it were an embankment and you will not get the same level of landscaping with a viaduct '“ there will just be concrete pillars."

Developers of the proposed Sainsbury's at the former Lec site, Sime Darby (which owns land in the area) also lodged concerns about the viaduct.

Felpham feedback

Meanwhile, Felpham residents are being offered the opportunity to express their views on 1m being set aside by developers for 'traffic mitigation measures' to compensate for Site 6's impact.

Paul English, chairman of Felpham Parish Council, welcomed the decision on the viaduct.

He believed it would require significantly less volumes of lorries using Felpham to create it rather than an embankment.

On the issues of traffic mitigation, he said: "We are now consulting with residents on these measures, which we hope will create more

of a village feel to Felpham which is badly affected by traffic flows on the A259 coming into Bognor."

For more information and your chance to offer suggestions on traffic reduction measures being considered by Felpham Parish council, visit www.felphampc.gov.uk

Have your say

Is a viaduct link the right option for the Bognor Regis Relief Road?

Vote yes or no in the panel to the right of the screen.

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

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