Angmering business park gets green light

The plans will see land between Brook Lane and the A259 used for 18 commercial spaces ranging in size from 151 square metres to about 3,000 square metres, across six buildings to be used for research and development, storage and distribution – with existing buildings to be demolished.

The council’s planning committee green-lit the plans on Wednesday, December 13, delegating authority to council officers for approval once Arun’s drainage engineers confirm they have no objections.

West Sussex County Council, as the lead flood authority, Arun’s drainage engineers and Network Rail all initially objected to the plans on flood risk grounds – with all except the drainage engineers withdrawing objections following further details submitted by the developers.

Objections from residents were mostly concerned with overdevelopment on the site, and the safety of the development’s proximity to a dual carriageway and a railway line.

Councillor Shaun Gunner (Con, Rustington East) speaking as a non-planning committee member, said part of Brook Lane/Penfold Lane was known locally as ‘suicide lane’ thanks to how dangerous it can be at certain crossing points.

He said the 191-home development across the road at the Rustington Golf Centre, which was approved on appeal by the planning inspectorate, needed to be kept in mind when considering increased pedestrian traffic in the area.

Jill Long (LDem, Brookfield) asked if the speed limit should be reduced along the A259, or the junction into the development looked at to improve access to the site.

Officers said these issues were ‘separate processes’ they could choose to pursue at another time.