Demolition of Lec site in Bognor could start before the end of the year

The large task to clean up and demolish the former Lec refrigeration site would get under way before the end of the year, the managing director of the site owner said.

Arun District Council is due to decide on October 7 if a Sainsbury's store should replace the derelict buildings on Shripney Road. Approval by councillors would start a two-year programme which should lead to the 55,000sq ft new store opening before the end of 2011.

A total of 400 full and part-time jobs would be created by the store.

Rob Allaway, of Sainsbury's publicity company GKA, said the retailer was firmly committed to returning to Bognor 19 years after it closed a store in Queensway.

Raof Daud, of landowner Sime Darby London, said: "Once we get approval, I can press the button for the work to start."

He explained initial tenders for the complex process had already been obtained. Further tenders to get the latest price would be sought if councillors had given their backing.

"Sainsbury's want to start trading as soon as possible and Sime Derby want to see the site demolished," he said.

The transformation would take the form of four distinct stages. The first would be the removal of the buildings' remaining asbestos, which is embedded in cement.

The demolition of 380,000 of the 400,000sq ft of former factory and office buildings '“ from the 1950s, 60s and 70s '“ would come next.

That would be followed by the clean-up of the land. The southern part has been contaminated by the presence of Bognor's gasworks between 1908-58.

Once that had been completed, building work on the new store would get underway. The existing Widdowson Building, the brick building behind the car dealer on Shripney Road, will be retained.

But it will be reclad and have a new roof and windows fitted to improve its appearance.

All this would take up eight acres of the site. Sime Darby wants to build two industrial units on the other 2.5 acres.

These could be used for offices, light industry or research and development and would create further jobs once they were occupied.

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