Temporary workers to stay at Bracklesham holiday site for three more years

The site, which closed down as a holiday park in January 2017, has since been used to house seasonal agricultural workers but permission was limited to a year.

In view of residential development approved for the site this winter, planning officers noted that the council had accepted that any return to tourism use had been accepted as lost.

A decision report added: “No negative consultation responses have been received on the proposals and there is no objection from either East Wittering and Bracklesham or Earnley Parish Council.

“The long term future of the site is clearly going to be residential once the outline planning application for the 85 homes is concluded but that may not now be for a number of years given the need to secure reserved matters following approval of the outline permission.

“In the interim the use of site for agricultural workers accommodation to continue to bolster the local economy is strongly supported by officers

subject to a re-imposition where necessary of the previous planning conditions on the one year permission.”

The maximum number of workers to be accommodated at the site has been raised to 400 people during peak seasonal demand.

It was noted that the ‘initial reticence’ of the community to the site’s use had dissipated with fewer objections and initial misgivings had been proven ‘unfounded’.

A community warden gave assurances that living conditions at the site were ‘very good’ and the Eastern European workers were well-treated.