Go-ahead for tourism site

The improvements to Church Farm Holiday Village were expected to be given the go-ahead by councillors.

The backing by Arun District Council's development control committee will enable site owner Bourne Leisure Ltd to install new entrance features, a glazed walkway and alter the shop in the main building of about 800sq m.

It will be extended about seven metres to the west and south.

The extensions are single storey with three towers two storeys tall. These are for a soft play area, a climbing wall and for an internal flume for the existing swimming pool, which is in a two storey section of the mainly single storey building. The work is the first stage of a 5m package of work for the site of 800-plus caravans.

The plans being voted on by councillors have been amended from the original proposals which created uproar among residents living around the Church Lane complex.

They feared a tall external water flume among the three 2-4 storey towers then proposed would create an eyesore close to the Pagham Harbour nature reserve.

But Bourne Leisure reacted to the objections, which saw 69 letters of protest received by Arun with 167 standard letters of objection, by ensuring that none of the new structures would be higher than the current buildings.

The revised proposals attracted three letters of objection.

Arun planning officer Anita Gardner told councillors in a report the changes ensured that the alterations would have no adverse impact on the harbour or nearby St Thomas a'Becket Church.

'It is not considered that the revised proposals would have an adverse effect on the visual amenites of the area.

'The new extensions are not higher than the existing swimming pool building.

'The height of the towers is now in proportion to the rest of the building and will not protrude adversely into the local landscape,' she stated.