Littlehampton town centre public realm improvements

Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm Improvements is the name of a multi-million pound project that started on 10 January 2022. The improvements have made the town centre a more attractive place to visit, shop and enjoy for residents and visitors.

The term “public realm” is used to describe the public spaces between shops and buildings. It includes the pedestrianised shopping area, town centre roads, pavements, lighting, public seating, street furniture and trees.

Phase 1,2 and 3 of the public realm works have now been completed and all areas including the compound area are now handed back to ADC.

16 October 2023

All works are now complete.  Some minor remedial work will be completed in the coming weeks.  The Road Safety Audit has been completed and WSCC are due to sign off imminently.  This completes the project and no further updates will be provided under this section.

18 August 2023

All paving works are now complete in Phase 1. The final resurfacing works will be completed over 2 weekends, finishing 24 September 2023. Phase 2 and 3 are fully complete, with some cleaning and re-sealing work planned over the coming months.

20 July 2023

Phases 2 and 3 are fully complete and Terminus Road works will be completed by 6 August, with the exception of the resurfacing works, which will require a full road closure for 2 weekends (16/17 September and 23/24 September).

22 May 2023

The Clock Tower lighting is being installed imminently, new tree pots will be installed in June. Terminus Road works are progressing to programme and works around the station are due to commence in June.

24 April 2023

Works to the High Street and surrounding area are now complete. An additional 22 cycle stands, an extra bench, additional signage, and lighting to the clock tower are now all installed, the tree pots for Beach Road and one on the High Street will be installed in June.

Phase 1 works (Terminus Road) continue to schedule. These works will be completed in September 2023.

21 March 2023

Works to the High Street and surrounding area are now complete.  Additional funding from UK Prosperity Fund has enabled us to deliver a further 22 cycle stands, an extra bench, additional signage, tree pots for Beach Road and one on the High Street to replace trees that could not be planted due to underground services and lighting to the clock tower.  All these works will be undertaken over the coming months, but are not expected to cause any disruption to pedestrians or traffic.

Phase 1 works (Terminus Road) continue to schedule.  These works will be completed in September 2023.

21 February 2023

Beach Road, East Street, Clifton Road, Duke Street and High Street works are now complete, although some remedial works and cleaning are happening. No further disruption is planned as a result of the work. Parking enforcement will start again on 27 February across all areas listed.

23 January 2023

High Street, Clifton Road, Beach Road, Duke Street work areas have been re-opened post-Christmas, with paving works continuing to completion on Beach Road.  Outstanding tree planting on Beach Rd is programmed for February 2023. Remedial works are being undertaken where required.  All other areas are complete, with the exception of Duke Street, which will be resurfaced in early February.  Additional signage and other minor improvements will take place over the coming weeks.

Terminus Road: Traffic management, including temporary lights, have been re-installed post-Christmas break and works are continuing to the southern footway between the junction of Terminus Place and Arundel Road. These works include drainage, kerb re-alignment and new paving.

19 December 2022

Paving works are complete on the High Street, Clifton Road, Duke Street and St Martins Lane. Paving works are continuing on Beach Road. Carriageway surfacing is complete to Clifton Road, Surrey Street/High Street and East Street/High Street. Remaining tree planting on Beach Road is programmed for February 2023. The Christmas Lighting Event took place on Saturday, 19 November.

Terminus Road Works: Works commenced on Monday 14 November 2022, beginning on the southern footway at the junction of Terminus Road/Terminus Place working eastwards. These works include drainage, kerb re-alignment and new paving.

18 November 2022

The High Street is now fully reopen and the Christmas Tree has been installed ready for the Christmas light switch on. Resurfacing work is ongoing in various locations and will complete in early December, except Beach Road which will be resurfaced in March 2023. Terminus Road improvements have commenced and are due to be completed in late summer 2023.

20 September 2022

Beach road will be re-open from Saturday 24 September 2022. The drainage works required have now been completed and the road has been made good, enabling us to reopen the road. There will be an additional closure in November to facilitate the resurfacing works and we will continue to work with businesses and residents to minimise the impacts.

18 August 2022

A temporary road closure on Beach Road will come into effect on 12 September for up to 3 weeks. There will be diversions in place and marshals at key locations to assist with managing traffic. This closure is necessary to enable gullies and drains to be connected to the main sewer located below and in the middle of Beach Road.

22 July 2022

A temporary road closure on Arcade Road will be enforced from 8 August 2022 so ducting can be laid across the road.

The results of our consultation for the introduction of loading time restrictions on High Street are in. Read our press release on the results for more information.

17 June 2022

The works programme for Beach Road has been changed to reduce the road closure duration down to approximately three weeks. This is to lessen the impact on traders. The closure is scheduled for Monday 12 September 2022 but is subject to change.

27 May 2022

A temporary road closure on Beach Road will be enforced from mid-September to carry out essential drainage works.

20 May 2022

NHS are currently dismantling the COVID-19 Test Centre in St Martins car park. It will be reopened for parking thereafter

31 March 2022

NHS will be removing the COVID-19 Test Centre in St Martins car park on 18 April 2022

18 March 2022

Funding has been secured for the delivery of Phase 1.

1 February 2022

New information available, please see addressing your concerns.

21 January 2022

A small temporary road closure to the section of High Street between the entrance to Manor House car park and Lloyds Bank will take effect from Monday 24 January 2022 for approximately 4 weeks. Manor House car park will remain open with access being unaffected.

10 January 2022

The project was launched with a breaking ground event (please click image to view in full size)

Littlehampton ground breaking event

21 December 2021

  1. Part of St Martins car park will be closed from 3 January 2022
  2. The location of Littlehampton’s Friday market may change throughout the project
  3. Our contractors will be on-site between 7:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday (daylight hours dependent)

16 December 2021

  1. Our contractors have released details of their construction timetable. This is now available to view, download or print: 
  2. Artist's images of Phase 1 (Terminus Road) are also now available.

Select an image to view a larger version.

A view looking down onto the road with resurfaced paths either side Looking down onto the high street with Sainsbury's on the left

 

 

 

 

Outside the train station with the new pavement New benches outside the train station

 

 

 

 

Pavement works outside the train station The clocktower

 

 

 

 

New bike racks Clear road as traffic lights removed

 

 

 

The new pavement with the roundabout behind it A tree with wooden base and new pavement

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another angle of the tree outside Sainsburys with the wooden protection The new pavement outside the clock tower

 

 

 

 

 

The new pavement and the market Another angle of the market and new pavement

 

 

 

 

New pavement and new notice board outside Sainsburys Road works outside the train station

 

 

 

 

New pavement round the back of the high street New pavement outside the train station

 

 

 

 

Old pavement outside train station Close up of new pavement

 

 

 

 

New pavement bending to the right New pavement with road to the left

New pavement with road on the right and houses on left Construction work on the pavement

Pavement on right and road on left New pavement right up to road

 

Clifton Street   Duke Street

Crafters Corner on Clifton Street   Duke Street by the Globe Apartments

Finished works on Beach Road  Top of Beach Road

Pedestrian crossing looking towards the train station   Outside the Dolphin public house

East Street crossing   High Street looking towards Lloyds Bank

Beach Road   Paving works on Beach Road

Paving and kerbs being installed   New paving

New paving design   Drop kerb

Duke Street paving and tree   Duke street looking towards shops

St Martin's Lane   Rear of the Crown public house

Work vans on Beach Road   Skip on the junction of High Street and Beach Road

Clifton Road   High Street Christmas lights

Side street  Street with telephone box

Street with orange temporary fencing  Street with construction and orange temporary fencing

Street with new brick flooring  High street with lorrys on

New flooring on path to the side of parked cars  New footpath towards clock tower

High street with new flooring and orange temporary fencing  Clock tower with new flooring around it

Side street with construction vehicle  Close up of new flooring with construction around it

  • Phase 1 – Terminus Road from Littlehampton Railway Station across Arundel Road into the High Street (funding in place)
  • Phase 2 – High Street shopping precinct, including the junction with Surrey Street and side streets leading to the town centre, including Duke Street, St Martin’s Lane, Clifton Road and the Arcade (funding in place)
  • Phase 3 – East Street through to the junction with the High Street and Beach Road (funding in place)
  • Phase 4 – Surrey Street to the Look and Sea Centre and the links with Pier Road and New Road (no funding available yet)
  • Phase 5 – The War Memorial roundabout in Beach Road (no funding available yet)

The Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm improvements comprise five key phases with a total cost of around £6 million and funding of £4.75m million is now in place to deliver Phase1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the scheme.

This includes £2.45 million from the Government’s Coastal Communities Fund (confirmed in April 2019), £564,000 from Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership Local Growth Fund (confirmed in October 2019) and £200,000 from both Arun District Council and Littlehampton Town Council (confirmed in December 2019).

In March 2022, West Sussex County Council approved the allocation of £1.253m to deliver Phase 1.

The aim is to improve the look and feel of Littlehampton town centre and make it a great place to work, visit, socialise and spend time.

Regeneration hopes to attract private sector investment and transforming the town centre to meet changing shopping and leisure habits.

Similar schemes across the country and locally, such as Bognor Regis, have been successful in attracting external investment and injecting new life into the town centre.

This will be done by: -

  • changing road layouts and traffic flow to give pedestrians priority and better use of public open spaces
  • resurfacing pavements, roads and pedestrianised areas with higher-quality materials to make it look more attractive
  • replacing benches, trees, public art and street furniture (bins etc.) to make spaces appear more open
  • making it easier for shoppers and visitors to find their way around the town centre on foot
  • improving the area between Littlehampton Railway Station and the town centre to make arrival approach into town by train more welcoming
  • contributing to the bigger regeneration plans for Littlehampton, including improving links between the town centre, riverside and seafront

Key stakeholders, businesses and members of the public have been consulted and involved in the development of the Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm scheme since day one.

In 2016, problem areas and ideas for improvement were identified during a stakeholder “walkabout” in the town.

The findings were used in the design plans prepared by design company LDA, which were then subject to a three-week public consultation exercise, along with a display of some of the potential materials for paving slabs.

Support for the Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm proposals from all sectors of the community was overwhelmingly positive and you can view the results of the consultation here: Town Centre Public Realm Consultation Report 2016.pdf [pdf] 2MB

In 2016, the District Council ran a series of public consultation exercises on design proposals for improvements to the main shopping areas.

This included “walkabout” sessions with key stakeholders to identify problem areas, a public exhibition of the draft design plans and materials and a detailed survey of traders to explore their aspirations and hopes for the town centre.

The feedback (see Town Centre Public Realm Consultation Report 2016.pdf [pdf] 2MB), helped shape the final Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm Improvements designs which were approved by Arun’s Full Council in 2016.

The Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm Improvements comprises five key phases projected to cost around £6 million. Funding of £3.5 million is now in place to deliver two key phases of the scheme.

The Coronavirus pandemic has severely affected our ability to move the Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm Project Improvements forward.

Key dates

2023

  • January – works commenced on phase 1
  • March phase 2&3 complete
  • October – all works area’s complete and compound handed back.

2022

  • March - funding for Phase 1 secured
  • January - delivery of the project began

2021

2020

  • November – second tendering exercise undertaken
  • October – Initial scope of project reduced
  • September – first procurement tender exercise reveals funding shortfall
  • March – first Coronavirus Lockdown
  • Faithful+Gould appointed to project manage the technical team

2019

  • Stage 2 CCF bid submitted (Feb) for town centre improvements Phases 1 and 2 (£2.49 million)
  • funding bid to Local Growth Fund (July) for Phase 3 (£1.4 million).
  • award 41% of request (£564,000)
  • LTC and ADC both approve (Dec) contribution of £200,000 to enable Phase 3 to go ahead

2017

  • initial funding bid to Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) for all 5 phases was unsuccessful.

2016

  • Town Centre Public Realm designs created by LDA and three week public consultation with public, traders and councillors involved.
  • good support in survey results for improvements.
  • Arun applied to the Coastal Communities Fund and was invited to submit a second stage application

2015

  • council agreed town centre public realm as priority project from 9 Big Ideas for Littlehampton
  • awarded grant for design fees.
  • Riverside walkway (£2 million) completed
  • LDA Design appointed to work up designs for town centre

2014

2004

  • Littlehampton 2020 Vision Masterplan
  • high quality public realm improvements to feature throughout vision and focus on improving