A vision of how the West Bank could look in the future has been revealed in the West Bank Regeneration Study, carried out by Baca Architects on behalf of Arun District Council and West Sussex County Council.

The study explores different ideas for the area including flood defences funded by new development, capping of contaminated land and improving access.

Considerable research had to be completed before the study could be published and shown to interested parties.

This included investigating the previously developed land of the West Bank, and looking at factors such as heritage, land ownership, land designations and ecology, access, vulnerability to flood risk and ground contamination.

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Having identified the opportunities and constraints of the site, the study has presented a range of development ideas and tested their viability taking account of the major infrastructure requirements of the site. There are no plans to knock down existing homes.

Councillor Norman Dingemans, Cabinet Member for Economic and Cultural Development at Arun District Council, said: "There is no suggestion that existing properties would be Compulsory Purchased or demolished. The options that have been looked at assume all existing properties remain where they are and instead, they seek to enhance and improve the area.

"The Council’s intention is that by exploring various options, future planning policy for the area can be put in place that recognises its special location - close to open countryside and the River Arun, promotes regeneration of the harbour and takes account of the need for a safe community that is protected from flooding."

(CD/GK)