£20m vision for Bognor seafront gets the nod

The 25-year strategy adopted by Arun district councillors features plans for a watersports centre, an area of sandy beach with a pool near the pier and a fitness trail along the waterfront.

Examples of public art are also included, but the life-sized elephants which attracted attention when the strategy was launched last November are unlikely to make the transition from page to promenade.

The strategy's aim is to capitalise on Bognor's biggest asset of the seafront and ensure it continues to attract tens of thousands of tourists a year.

Cllr Norman Dingemans, who oversees Arun's tourism work as part of his economic regeneration portfolio, said: "The long-term aim is to produce a high-quality destination.

"This is a big opportunity for Bognor and it reflects the future prospects for the town after the Easter weekend when there was a large number of people on the seafront."

Cllr Paul Wells welcomed the strategy as a positive start. But he said Arun needed to be aware sections of the seafront were starting to look tired.

Work had been put on hold because of the impact of the St Modwen scheme along the promenade.

Action needed to be taken to improve them now that scheme was likely to be several years away, he added.

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