Homes, workplaces and technology of the future will be developed thanks to £7 million of public investment in the Coastal West Sussex (CWS) area.
After a detailed bidding process, the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership has allocated government money from the final phase of Growth Deal 1 and Growth Deal 2 funds to three projects across the region.
CWS leaders welcomed the investment, adding it would help unlock future growth and generate millions more pounds of investment in three key area.
The projects to benefit were:
- £5 million towards Southern Gateway Development (Chichester) – regeneration of mainly brownfield land site within Chichester town centre. Plans will include the creation of new homes, business space, leisure and tourism facilities, as well as sustainable transport links;
- £500,000 towards Bognor Regis Creative Digital Hub (Bognor Regis) will establish new digital infrastructure in the form of a shared and collaborative workspace in currently disused space at Bognor Regis Railway Station.
- £1.5 million for Ricardo Hybrid Powertrain (Shoreham) to deliver a state of the art four-wheel drive hybrid powertrain rig to enable the research and development of the next generation of electrified powertrain systems and vehicles.
Caroline Wood, Director of Coastal West Sussex, said: “We are really pleased that three projects in our area have benefited from this investment. In their own different ways, they will all help us achieve an aim of a strong and diverse local economy while providing modern homes and offices for local residents.
“However, we are extremely disappointed that another application for the SaltBox site in Bognor Regis wasn’t successful. This will have major implications on the delivery of a significant commercial site in Bognor Regis which has just received planning approval and is ready for delivery.”
A total of £27 million was allocated across the Coast to Capital area, which covers the area from Croydon to Brighton and Seaford in East Sussex across to the West Sussex border with Hampshire.
In total, ten projects received funding. Combined they will provide 810 new homes, 2,651 new jobs, 34,762 square metres of commercial space and 7,953 square metres of learning space.
Jonathan Sharrock, Coast to Capital Chief Executive, said: “The Local Growth Fund provides major investment opportunities in key growth areas of our region including Digital Infrastructure, Sustainable Transport and High Value Tourism.
“We are thrilled with the carefully selected projects which will help ensure that the Coast to Capital area stays as one of the top performing regions of the country. We look forward to working closely with our new partners to deliver a range of fantastic outputs, benefiting both businesses and local residents alike.”