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Friday, May 11, 2018 f An artist's view of the linear park
Groups' cabin plan 'will improve park'
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Consultation call for park A REQUEST to shelve spending on a proposed park for Bognor Regis has been rejected. Cllr Matt Stanley called on the leader of Arun District Council to put the £300,000 due to be spent on the next stage of planning the Hothamton linear park on hold for further consultation to be held. But Cllr Gillian Brown, who heads the Tory-run council, said the decision about the park had already been made. The council was committed to going ahead with a planning application for the £3m scheme to transform the Hothamton car park off Queensway. Cllr Stanley (LD, Marine) told last week's full meeting of the council he wanted more time to be taken before Arun committed itself to spending residents' money on the proposal. Only 19 people had backed the idea during a consultation attended by 120 residents last October. He said: "I respectfully ask the leader to delay spending £300,000 to progress the linear park project to the next stage before the following two points can be evidenced. "Firstly, that the £3.5m due to be spent on the linear park will provide value for money for the taxpayers who will have to pay the bill. Secondly, that the linear park is widely supported by the majority of Bognor Regis residents." He said a lot of concern existed about the proposals from residents who had spoken to him about them. "Unfortunately, the council's officers are unable to attend a public meeting to answer questions about the consultation.
Sunken Gardens would be the perfect opportunity to launch just such an initiative. "The police do often advise us that our presence in this garden, where we work as volunteers, makes a difference. But, of course, we can't be there all the time." "A couple of log cabins occupied by very active community groups would make a much more significant impact than we are able to." The group of community gardeners has been working for nearly seven years. They work with Arun's parks officers on the planting and maintenance of the sunken gardens and other town centre green spaces. But statistics from Arun showed a lack of action up to last October in tackling antisocial behaviour, littering and dog fouling, she added. Cllr Jacky Pendleton, Arun's chairman, said a written response would be sent o Ms Davis.
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used walkway can be to to ensure that the safely. We still expectthis comfortably and soon as conditions. to allow a certain open the new footbridge as is closed. “All bridges need movement to work is complete.” current footbridge across the of controlled We traffic lights were the amount THe former footbridge of the structure. When the temporaryHighways England remain closed until protect the integrity solutions that A27 was due to installed originally, area to assess them built and opened. are looking at engineering allow safe and replacement was spokesperson called to the this movement to over the were number of complaints were made A Highways England to opening the reduce use of the walkway after a continue to experience “We look forward and we comfortable MOTORISTS will the A27 as work on the said: regarding safety. footbridge soon bridge. new Stockbridge not an issue with long delays along is set to continue are sorry for the delay. “THere is absolutely the bridge - this Turn to page three we Stockbridge footbridge routine testing the the structural integrity of adjustments "During our for more weeks. were set up while completing final that could cause identified an issue in certain is about Traffic lights move unacceptably is replaced, allowing the walkway to the footbridge the road while pedestrians to cross
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stop and start again attitude, which has dogged Bognor Regis for more years than I care to remember. No wonder schemes are cancelled and residents give up. "Stop regeneration these councillors must be joking. What the people want is for some councillors and self-appointed groups to stop playing politics and allow us to get on with the work we were put into our jobs to do - regenerate Bognor Regis. "There seems to be a real momentum building, with lots of positivity out there. Let's not give it away, let's build on it."
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to the committee hand over his petition and to confirm or more, but Fulton) manager (Jane setting out had 5,000 signatures council’s easily council will respond necessary. within took place at the that simply wasn’t to achieve was that that the deal with this petition called signaturescouncil meeting. “All we wanted the matter positively how it will days of this meeting.” residents have full it will THOUSANDS of rink in Bognor Regis. latest debate ten working 1,500 threshold, ice civic society launched By exceeding the a future meeting of Arun should for a permanent As reported, the It stated: “In want the attraction and sensibly.” be debated at Cllr Jacky Pendleton, its petition in February. THey have said they the regeneration have to success of the Arun’s chairman, in has been council. Mr Coster said: told the meeting: “A petition Society view of the tremendous to be included compiled by Arun the full we, the Outside the meeting, just a Regis Civic temporary ice rink, District schemes being the town. the petition aftercame in received from Bognor Arun rink for Christmas for was “We closed District Council a permanent ice undersigned, petition the signatures See page five their demand month because was passed requesting A petition with to Bognor Regis. that our 1,500 target council on Wednesday invite Mr Coster presented to the Regis Civic Society’s so fast it. “I’m going to before we knew we would have night by Bognor Hugh Coster. “If we had continued, deputy chairman, of the 2,479 THe formal submission
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"Would Cllr Brown be able to attend a meeting to discuss her views of the linear park with Bognor Regis residents?" But Cllr Mrs Brown (C, Aldwick E) said adequate consultation had been carried out since 2015. "We have had consultation on whether the local plan takes place. That is done. "Any resident, and all the residents of the area, will be able to comment on the planning application. "What's the point in holding a public meeting when the decision has already been made? "We asked residents what they would like to see these two sites (Regis Centre and Hothamton) used for. It was very clear this was wanted by residents both inside and outside Bognor Regis." For Hothamton, the idea is to create a park that has a variety of uses for children and adults with a new play area, adult gym, cafes and a potential petanque pitch. There could also be water features, cycle routes and public seating. Two blocks of flats are also planned. "These proposals are unashamedly ambitious and will be transformational for Bognor Regis but this is what is needed to change the perception of the town," she said. "We have public support for this. Timing is everything and the community is tired of waiting for things to happen," added Cllr Mrs Brown. For the Regis Centre site, the council wants to create a winter garden around a bigger Alexandra Theatre. But this scheme is not so far advanced.
Bid to delay regeneration plan criticised by senior councillor LEADING councillor Phil Hitchins has attacked the intended delaying tactics for the regeneration of Bognor Regis. Cllr Hitchins (C, Aldwick W) is the Conservative chairman of Arun District Council's regeneration subcommittee for the town and said the Liberal Democrats should listen to residents' demands for the town to be improved. Speaking outside last week's full council meeting, he said: "Don't the Lib Dems get it? "We have no intention of putting off regeneration for three, four or five years. People are fed up with the start,
COMMUNITY groups should be based in a proposed Bognor Regis park to cut antisocial behaviour, councillors have been told. Kim Davis, secretary of Bognor Community Gardeners, has formally asked for two log cabins for the groups to be sited in the planned Hothamton linear park. She said she believed this would make a significant impact in an area - the sunken gardens - which had a bad reputation and was avoided and under-used by many residents. She told Arun District Council allowing active groups of responsible adults to have premises in the proposed park would change the behaviour of others. "I feel that should a major makeover of this park go ahead it simply will not be enough on its own to change the problems with anti-social behaviour or the reputation of this park," she told the council's full meeting last week. "The planned makeover of Hothamton
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