Building kicks off on 700 homes in Felpham

The lead developers of the estate, which is part of site six, have applied for planning permission to create a temporary works access to the development location.

Barratt Homes and its subsidiary, David Wilson Homes, have asked Arun District Council for the go-ahead for the access at the site to the west of the A259 Flansham Lane.

It is proposed that this temporary route will be the used by construction vehicles while the homes and the eastern section of the Bognor Regis northern relief road are built.

It is intended to be located in Flansham Lane, about 50m to the south of Hoe Lane, and could be used for up to two years.

Having the access will enable the vehicles to reach the site safely and without any obstructions and without any unnecessary disruption to residents or traffic. The only alternative route is through Westmorland Drive.

Barratt/David Wilson Homes has bought the 59.67 hectare site for development after the government granted outline planning permission a year ago for the housing, community facilities and the relief road.

The developers need the temporary access to begin the development. It includes a new roundabout as a start to the relief road in the field immediately west of Hoe Lane.

Richard McMann, the co-ordinator of the Bognor Regis Task Force, said: "This application shows the advanced stage to which the developers have progressed.

"It forms part of the significant infrastructure improvements which some believed they would never see.

"The access would be there to ensure work vehicles have their own safe and private route. This should allay any fears of vehicles using housing estates as part of their journey every day instead."

In a letter to local residents, the developers state that the proposed temporary access will overlap with part of the area on which the new roundabout junction is to be built. It does not increase the overall amount of land needed.

Some trees at the front of the site will need to be felled for the temporary access, though these that would need to go at some point to make way for the roundabout.

The trees should also be felled before next spring to lessen the adverse impact of their removal on local wildlife.

Arun's development control committee is likely to consider the planning application by mid-December.

Questions about the plans can be made to the Bognor Regis Task Force office on 01903 737937 or 01903 737961.