Rustington residents’ horror at ‘monstrous’ shop

Residents of Dinsdale Field have blasted Arun District Council for approving the plans, which have left some properties in the road within touching distance of the new superstore, at the Rustington Retail Park, in New Road.

Pam Bastable, 63, who has lived in the road for 14 years, said: “It’s become a complete nightmare. I can’t believe how this was ever passed by the council.

“You can literally lean out and touch the building. It’s completely ruined our view and spoiled our garden.”

Husband Tony, 67, said: “This is a monstrous design. It’s like looking at the Berlin Wall when we come outside. We feel like we’re living on an industrial estate now.”

The designs were approved by Arun in August, last year, and had received strong local support at the time.

A council spokeswoman said planning officers felt the size of the supermarket wouldn’t have detrimentally affected nearby homeowners, adding: “The height of the store is the same height as the old building, though its form has changed.

“Sainsbury’s has proposed to plant trees and bushes along the southern boundary of the site. These will in time help to reduce the impact of the building on the homes of Dinsdale Field.”

But Pam and Tony said the construction work was also creating a ‘shocking level of dust’, which was coating their properties and, they claimed, affecting their breathing – an issue which they say Sainsbury’s hasn’t managed properly.

In response, Daren Carpenter, Sainsbury’s project manager, said: “We have recently experienced some very hot and dry weather, which has created some dust on our construction site.

“Our site team has taken every possible measure to reduce the impact this has on our neighbours and regularly dampens down the site with water bowsers and uses wheel washes and road sweepers to prevent dust spreading onto local roads. We have also offered window and car washes to our immediate neighbours as a goodwill gesture.”