Investment plans for Pagham holiday village

Bourne Leisure is seeking renewed planning permission for a new building at Church Farm Holiday Village.

The company wants to construct the building next to the existing reception building to provide a leisure and relaxation venue for the owners of the Church Lane site’s some 900 caravans.

The original application last year was scrapped by the firm because of concerns by English Heritage about the scheme’s relationship and scale on the historic Becket’s Barn to its north.

This Grade II listed 13th century flint and brick barn is a scheduled ancient monument. It harks back to Pagham’s time as one of the country’s most prosperous ports until a change in the tide caused the harbour to silt up.

Graham Lavendar, of Bourne Leisure’s planning agent A & M Architectural Partnership, says in the latest application the scheme has been designed in consultation with English Heritage.

He states: “The final building form was born through the requirement for a unique and compact scheme but one that relates to the existing Becket’s Barn in a sympathetic manner.

“The proposed leisure and recreation facility is still visibly smaller than Becket’s Barn which, as a result, will still retain its dominance in this local grouping of buildings.”

The plans for the new venue in the holiday village of some 43 hectares are a major statement by Bourne Leisure in the site, Mr Lavender says.

He says: “The development will provide a vibrant and socially inviting facility for the holiday park guests.

“It is recognised sport and recreation can help to underpin the economic structure of the holiday park through creating a desirable holiday environment.” Adding extra attractions will help to entice more visitors to the area and contribute to the local economy.

It has 58 full and part-time permanent employees as well as 65 seasonal workers.