Bognor Regis Sunken Gardens Receives Council Progress Visit
Councillors from Arun District Council have recently made a progress visit to Bognor Regis Sunken Gardens to see how works are advancing. The refurbishment project, which commenced in January 2023 and has a four-month programme, will enhance the quality of this much-loved community asset and encourage more visitors.
Blakedown Landscapes, the appointed contractor, has already completed works to the southern entrance and new ramped footpaths, reconstruction of the stone walls, grading soil to adjacent shrub beds and removal of vegetation will aid accessibility and open up the views. Improvements are now focused on the play area renovations where existing play equipment, such as the swings and climbing equipment will be refurbished, and new play elements added. Further upgrades will see new paving and brightly coloured safety surfacing, replacement seating, a new boundary fence and gates.
Other elements include new seating and low growing ornamental planting to the Sunken Gardens and a new sensory landscape featuring naturalised planting and the re-use of the soil from the southern entrance at the existing Eastern lawned area. At the heart of the Sunken Gardens a memorial to founding member and guiding light of the Bognor Community Gardeners, Kim Davis, will be erected. Kim was a great advocate for green space and an important and passionate contributor to the Sunken Gardens renovation works.
Sustainable and sensitive landscape design by landscape architects LUC has been a key element, with the enhancement of the site’s biodiversity through planting choice and the re-use and recycling of existing site materials including soil and play equipment.
Chairman of Arun District Council, Councillor Samantha-Jayne Staniforth said “the Sunken Gardens in Bognor Regis is an historic site and is getting a facelift to provide a lovely community space right in the middle of town. With many of the historic areas being tackled by the council in Bognor Regis, the town will be looking well and truly uplifted for the summer to come.”
Councillor David Edwards, Chair of the Environment Committee, said “We’re delighted to be moving this project forward as it will make this popular space a lot more vibrant, and really open it up so that visitors can really appreciate how attractive the Sunken Gardens are. The consultation showed public support for the design, so I’m really pleased that we now have the budget we need to deliver everything the public wanted to see.”
Chris Wellbelove, Director, Blakedown Landscapes said “Blakedown Landscapes was delighted to be appointed main contractor for these refurbishment works for Arun District Council. The improvements to the Sunken Gardens will enhance the quality of the landscape, activate the space, improve access and address anti-social behaviour. We are particularly pleased to be able to contribute this improved local asset to the Bognor Regis community.”
Works to Date at the Southern Entrance