Regeneration in Bognor Regis

Bognor Regis is a town with strong economic growth potential and offers businesses the right environment to start up, locate and expand. Conveniently located on the south east coast and within easy reach of London and international airports and ports it can provide businesses with the sites, premises and workforce they need to grow and prosper. A range of major regeneration projects have recently been started or are planned for the near future which will transform the town and ensure that it can support a thriving and sustainable community for years to come. A new website illustrates some of the past, present and future regeneration projects across the town – www.bognorregisregeneration.com  

A master planning exercise in 2004 created the Bognor Regis Masterplan Planning Policy Document.pdf [pdf] 896KB setting out different uses for each quarter within the town, and there is a BRRSC Position Statement June 19.pdf [pdf] 163KB of the regeneration activity currently underway in the town. The Bognor Regis Investment Prospectus.pdf [pdf] 3MB sets out some of the major regeneration projects already delivered, being delivered and planned for the town.

 

Gardens By the Sea

Please view our Gardens by the Sea page for the historical information on this project which we are no longer progressing.

 

Bognor Regis Business Improvement District

Businesses voted overwhelmingly to introduce a Business Improvement District (BID) in the town centre to continue the programme of delivering enhancements. This started in April 2018 and runs for 5 years. A levy on business rates for qualifying premises will generate £700,000 to safeguard town centre management and take forward a series of priority projects identified by businesses. For more information visit https://lovebognorregis.co.uk/bognor-regis-business-improvement-district/.

 

Town centre public realm improvements

A new concept public realm design has been created for the town centre running from the railway station towards the seafront. The Bognor Regis Public Realm Design.pdf [pdf] 5MB aims to provide a clear, high quality and distinctive pedestrian route, and received overwhelming support during public consultation in March 2013. The first phase was to revamp the retail heart of the town centre in the London Road precinct, and there is now stylish new paving, tree planting and street furniture all chosen to withstand the harsh marine environment. The funding of over £600,000 came from Arun, West Sussex County Council and Bognor Regis Town Council together with Sainsbury's Section 106 monies. West Sussex CC contributed via its Kick-Start initiative which aims to boost the local economy, promote growth, maintain and create jobs, and attract new investment from the private sector. Photos of the completed precinct are below. 

 

           

 

Arun District Council made a successful bid to the Coastal Communities Fund on behalf of the three councils to deliver other phases of the public realm scheme, securing £1.65m to do this before the end of 2016. The first phase of work to be funded is the key town gateway at Station Square which is now complete. The design creates a stylish new public square for events and street entertainment, and enables cafes to spill out onto the square. Most of the materials used will be the same as in London Road. The photos below show the new Station Square and we also have some time-lapse footage of the construction.

           

 

Station Road & North London Road

Station Road and upper London Road links Station Square to the London Road precinct and has been transformed, creating a safer, more pedestrian-friendly route from the railway station through the town centre towards the seafront. New monolith wayfinding signs help visitors navigate their way around the town and seafront. See photos below. 

 

 

High Street

West Sussex County Council and Arun District Council worked in partnership to reduce the traffic illegally using High Street (only buses are allowed to drive there) and transform the space with new paving, seating, street furniture, bus shelters and trees.  See photos below.

   

 

Hotham Park café

• The café is located in the idyllic Green Flag-winning Hotham Park. In 2007 the park was awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant of £2.2million, and part of the grant funded work included public consultation. The top of the public wish list was a permanent year-round café in the park located close to the new Boating Lake. The café was designed and built by local architects and builders, and the operator is another local business – the Lobster Pot at Felpham.  The café has been open for business trading since June 2015.

 

 

Bognor Regis Seafront

The seafront is the jewel in the crown of Bognor Regis. A Seafront Strategy.pdf [pdf] 17MB was created in 2009 to ensure holistic and sympathetic development of this key area. Other strategies that are relevant to the seafront are the Concessions Strategy.pdf [pdf] 235KB and the Leisure Strategy (see our Leisure Strategy page). In 2013, further work was undertaken to start delivery of the Seafront Strategy. A Key Stakeholder Seafront Workshop.pdf [pdf] 6MB looked at what local stakeholders felt was important about the seafront for the future.  Additionally, independently run Seafront Public Consultation.pdf [pdf] 1022KB was carried out on the seafront to find out what they liked and disliked, and how they would like the seafront to be in their ideal world.  A Consultants Report.pdf [pdf] 10MB was commissioned on how to improve the seafront concession businesses. A small project called "Beach on the Beach" provides an enclosed sand play area for younger children on the promenade. It was doubled in size to reflect its popularity with families during its first year of operation. Using all the existing strategy, policy and research evidence, a Bognor Regis Seafront Delivery Plan.pdf [pdf] 2MB  setting out thematic zones and activities has been put in place which will guide the phased delivery of different regeneration initiatives on the seafront into the future.  A  Bognor Regis Seafront Style Guide 110618.pdf [pdf] 15MB ensures all permanent buildings on the promenade are complementary in style, the new play area “Play on the Beach” is open, and new above ground public toilets and a first permanent catering building which will be delivered in the near future.

Further information

If you would like to learn more about the decision making process, please visit our regeneration sub committee page.