Asda to sell full range of goods at new store

The giant retailer expects the 75,000-80,000sq ft outlet to stock food and non-food items such as electrical equipment, clothes and health and beauty products.

The news was revealed by Arun District Council chief executive Ian Sumnall.

Asda and the council have been involved in a series of talks since the company's announcement last month that it was targeting Oldlands Farm, off Oldlands Way, for a new store.

Mr Sumnall said: "Asda have confirmed that they will be selling the full range of what they do.

"Their store will be bigger than Tesco and the biggest retail store in Bognor.

"That in itself is significant because the impact (on the town centre) is greater the bigger the store is."

But Mr Sumnall told Monday's meeting of Arun's Bognor Regis sub-committee that Asda would have to supply an independent analysis on the retail market in Bognor as part of its planning application for the store.

This report will show the state of the shopping market in the town centre and how the existing shops will be affected by Asda.

It will be scrutinised by the council before a decision about the proposals is made.

Asda expects to submit an application to Arun early next year.

The council has earmarked the privately-owned site for a high-tech business park since the late 1990s to boost skills and wage levels in the Bognor area.

Asda has promised to build the first 10,000sq m office block for the business park and install all the services needed for future occupiers.

Bognor Regis regeneration task force co-ordinator Richard McMann said several crucial questions needed to be asked when considering the suitability of another out-of-town store.

These concerned how the 400-500 jobs available would boost wage and skills among Bognor's residents, how it would entice more people to shop in Bognor rather than simply stop them going elsewhere and how a store's presence would affect the rest of the business park.

Sub-committee members welcomed the prospect of Asda opening in Bognor.

Cllr Andrew Evans (Bognor Marine) said the council's proposed regeneration of the town centre with St Modwen Properties should counter the Asda effect.

"Another superstore would be good by providing some better choice for the people of Bognor," he stated.

"Out of town stores do have an impact on town centres but we have the opportunity with St Modwen to change our town centre.

"If we provide enough of what people want in the town centre, an out-of-town store is not going to impinge on what happens in the town."

Cllr Paul Wells (Bognor Hotham) said: "There's a need for a greater variety of food shopping in Bognor.

"For far too long, it's been largely dominated by one particular store, chiefly on the outskirts of the town and in smaller outlets around the town. We need further competition in supermarkets. It's not there at the moment.

"People are travelling to Chichester, Littlehampton and Worthing to do their shopping. A lot of people travel to Asda at Havant. But I would still like to see what impact an Asda would have on the town centre because that's the most important factor."