£1.5m youth centre for Bognor Regis is unveiled

The facility, set in the campus of Bognor Regis Community College, will include a host of innovative features.

At the centre of the plans are music recording studios, cookery areas and a sensory room which is being designed for the disabled.

Clair Goddard, a social worker for West Sussex County Council, unveiled the project at a meeting of the town's neighbourhood watch.

Having campaigned for years to achieve the new building, she believed it would have a huge impact on hundreds of young people.

She said: "This is going to make a big difference for young people here.

"Ever since the old youth centre at the college was knocked down two years ago I've had to work out of different offices and have been working towards getting the new building.

"It's going to be called The Phoenix, which was chosen by the children we work with, named after the Harry Potter films.

"It's also appropriate it's something that's risen from the ashes of the old facility.

"We have a group of around 30 young people involved in the design of the building and its furniture as well which we thought was important."

The senior social worker explained the new centre would be able to accommodate more than 100 young people at any one time. Its facilities would also be accessible to the community.

Work on the new centre will start at the beginning of August, scheduled for completion by next April, and is expected to cost upwards of 1.5m.

With the bulk of the funding coming from the major lottery bid, there will be additional funding from West Sussex County Council to ensure its completion.

It is intended the facilities will link closely with the new campus buildings being created at Bognor Regis Community College.

Clair added: "This will be totally led by young people. We will have DJing facilities in the music studio which is expected to be open 24 hours, seven days a week.

"But it's not just for the young as we will be opening it for the wider community as well.

"There will be kitchen facilities and a sensory room. We're already working with the partners including the primary care trust on having things like a sexual health room."

There will be a full team of social workers operating from the

new centre in addition to a number of other community youth services.