Calls for cemetery land to be included in Littlehampton development

Town councillors have said that more cemetery land would be needed if an extra 1,200-plus homes were to be built with the North Littlehampton development.

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s planning and transportation committee, held at the Manor House on Monday evening, chairman Nick Wiltshire said there was already a lack of cemetery land in Arun.

“With an increase in population, there comes an increase in exits.

“If the town is going to grow, land for cemetery usage needs to be provided.”

The committee decided to write to Arun District Council outlining concerns over the proposals. Arun will decide in November on the planning application for homes, businesses, a hotel, care home, shops and restaurants, community and sports facilities, north of the railway line.

The committee called for doctors’ and dental surgeries to be included in the proposals, and said roads should be wide enough for parked cars, as well as refuse trucks and emergency services.

Mr Wiltshire raised concerns over the sewerage system, referring to problems in Pier Road, where homes and businesses have been consistently flooded with raw sewage during heavy rain.

“Southern Water have no choice but to bolt on the systems of new developments to the existing systems,” he said.

“If we have problems like we have in Pier Road, it shows even without further development there is a weakness in the system that needs to be addressed.”

Councillor Delma Mayer-Pezhanzki said: “I would like to see the research on what retailers want to come to the town, other than supermarkets. To promise that people would want to come in to the town in this economic climate would be foolhardy.”

Councillor Ian Buckland said that while there were concerns, he felt the large-scale development, which is also offering a new road connecting East Street to Worthing Road and then Lyminster Road, with a new bridge over the railway, would be good for the town.

“Everyone goes on about how much we need to improve the town, and a lot of people have screamed for the Fitzalan link road for a long time,” he said.

“Without infrastructure, there will never be an improvement to this town, because we will be stuck in the Dark Ages.”

Mrs Mayer-Pezhanzki disagreed, fearing Littlehampton’s character, which was different to other places, could be spoilt if promises of infrastructure were broken.

To view the planning application, go to www.arun.gov.uk