New homes next to ‘landmark’ Bognor Regis building turned down

Plans for new homes next to a ‘landmark’ Bognor Regis building have been refused by councillors.
Plans for homes to the right of the Royal Norfolk Hotel where the overgrown vegitation is have been refused by Arun District Council (photo from Google Maps Street View)Plans for homes to the right of the Royal Norfolk Hotel where the overgrown vegitation is have been refused by Arun District Council (photo from Google Maps Street View)
Plans for homes to the right of the Royal Norfolk Hotel where the overgrown vegitation is have been refused by Arun District Council (photo from Google Maps Street View)

Developers wanted permission for the three terraced houses on a disused piece of land next to the Royal Norfolk Hotel off West Street with access from Royal Norfolk Mews.

But Arun District Council’s development control committee refused an application for the site on Wednesday (September 4) arguing the proposals would affect the setting of the grade II listed hotel building.

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This follows a number of previous applications to develop the parcel of land, all of which have been rejected.

Jim Brooks (Ind, Marine) said: “I hope we can finally see an end to these constant applications to put houses on this valuable site, one of the last areas of niceness we have got in Bognor.

“Then at last it could be bought by one of our local councils to be used as a tennis court or open space.”

He felt the three homes would destroy the view of hotel’s frontage and suggested the site was unused and derelict because of the way the applicant had treated it.

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Bognor Regis Town Council had objected to the new homes and so had 37 residents.

Steve Goodheart (Ind, Hotham) described a ‘great desire’ from residents to keep the area as an open space for the benefit of the town.

Martin Lury (LDem, Bersted) suggested the gable end of a terrace next to the hotel would look ‘absolutely appalling’.

He said: “Bognor Regis has lost so many sites of heritage and what little is left we do need to think about preserving.”

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Gill Yeates (LDem, Bersted) described the hotel as a ‘landmark building’, adding: “I’m not sure we should be sensibly permitting development where it is in such an exposed area.”

However Grant Roberts (Con, Arundel and Walberton) felt the development was ‘fairly in fitting with the area’.

At the end of the debate the committee rejected the plans by eight votes to five.