Bognor Regis. Given Royal assent in 1929. Holder of the record for the most sunshine hours in mainland UK. And now one of the hottest development prospects on the South Coast!

 

The air has an electricity to it in Bognor Regis and one can almost feel the expectancy building. There’s half a billion pounds worth of development planned in the town for the next couple of years – and this figure might yet go up as more development partners throw their hats into the proverbial ring. £500,000,000 in cold, hard figures. That’s a lot of zeros that will add up to something really quite special.

The transformation of Bognor Regis from seaside resort into one of the most desirable places to live in the UK will be overseen a new Bognor Regis Task Force, appointed by Arun District Council and supported by much of the local business scene. Their task, complicated, difficult but exhilarating as it is, will be to ensure that not only the physical regeneration of the town goes to plan, but that it brings significant social regeneration as well. From the proposed development of a new marina to a new leisure heart and healthy living development, the profile of Bognor Regis will be changed forever in the coming years.

The programme for the regeneration and development of Bognor Regis has been on the cards since the end of the last century, when a group was established to work with the District, County, Town and Parish Councils as well as residents in the area, working on how Bognor Regis might look in the future.

From this beginning, key sites for development were established and a Master Plan was drawn up. Two initial sites were identified – the Regis Centre and Hothamton. As both of these were owned by Arun District Council, it was decided that these would provide the easiest routes to market, so development briefs were drawn up and send out to tender in December 2005.

The response to the tendering documents was high, showing the interest that major players had in Bognor Regis. From 15 Expressions of Interest, six were carried through to the final presentation stages, at which point two contenders dropped out and two decided to work together.

From the final shortlist, the St Modwen proposals emerged out as the unanimous favourite of residents, businesses and all of the other parties involved in the consultation events that took place in the early part of 2006. Berkley Homes and Bourne Leisure are also major partners in the town’s development plans and will be contributing massively to the big changes. Which brings us up to the current moment.

“The time is right for Bognor Regis,” comments Richard McMann, Bognor Regis Task Force Co-ordinator.

“It has had a low spell recently, but all of the development partners are able to recognise the opportunities inherent in the area and are eager to capitalise on them. Bognor Regis has a strong history and now, with the Master Plan starting to come to fruition, the future looks equally strong.”

Since 1999, the foundations have been laid for the current progress on the Master Plan.

“Without these foundations,” continues Richard, “we wouldn’t be as far down the road as we are now, nor with the bright prospects for the future.

“Over the past seven years, there have been many SRB (Single Regeneration Budget) projects including the Pevensey Project and The Hub that have helped us to consolidate our skills base. Then there’s the Arena Skills Centre, fulfilling an important training function within the local economy.

“And of course, there’s the Business Partnership. When considering any major development plan, potential partners will always scrutinise the local economy and decide whether they will get any return on their investment.

“It delights me that Bognor Regis has passed all of this scrutiny with flying colours. In my opinion, the businesses of the Partnership have had a huge hand in helping us to get this far and must be recognised for their contribution.”

The Bognor Regis Task Force will consist of four main members, appointed by Arun District Council. Heading it up is Richard McMann, supported by Stephen Cantwell, Paula Welland and a graduate position.

“The graduate position is particularly exciting,” says Richard.

“While the successful post-holder will be supporting the administration of the team, they’ll be involved in more than just paperwork. We will be expecting them to get to grips with the complexities of the Master Plan, liaising with partners, local businesses and residents at all levels.

“It will be a challenging role but the successful applicant will meet a set of unique challenges, unmatched anywhere in the country.”

The main priority, aside from keeping the developments on track, is to use this opportunity to multiply the planned developments, ensuring that the maximum possible benefit is extracted from the Master Plan opportunities.

“We expect that, as the regeneration work progresses, more and more companies will become excited by the offer in Bognor Regis,” Richard concludes.

“Our job will be to convert this interest into tangible investment in the people, the environment and the economy of Bognor Regis. We can see that as the work moves forward, the economy of the area will benefit immensely from the influx of new businesses and new residents. We will endeavour to use every available opportunity to increase training, employment and quality of life indicators in the town for the benefit of future generations.

“We are inviting local businesses to join with us to help deliver the Master Plan. Over the coming years, we will need to canvass their opinion on our development proposals and design ideas, our strategy and our progress.

“I would be delighted to discuss the opportunities for involvement with all local businesses, who are welcome to contact me on 01903 713344 or by email - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

“Our businesses need to get ready for the influx of development into the town, and be prepared for the opportunities that this will bring. I can see close working relations with the Business Partnership helping to achieve this.”