Save Our Seafront - campaign latest

Jean Bishop wrote to all councillors ahead of the September full council meeting debate setting out SOS's opposition to Rother's controversial 5.1m Next Wave proposals.

The council has since received 1m in Government aid towards the scheme. Its public consultation exhibition closes today.

Now the SOS chairman has told councillors: "There are many adverse factors that mitigate against the proposed redevelopment of the Colonnade being successful.

"However, the single most important and unavoidable problem is that when there is a combination of high tide and strong wind or storm, the Colonnade suffers from the ingress of seawater and shingle, which can also be swelled when there is heavy accompanying heavy rain.

"This is clearly illustrated in the enclosed photograph that was passed to SOS recently.

"Those of us who have lived here for any length of time have witnessed similar scenes many times over the years.

"This photograph shows only too well what a business in the Colonnade has to contend with now, and the situation can only get worse.

"The council is not only morally, but also legally, obliged to inform potential commercial partners or lessees that intermittent flooding of the proposed new underground retail outlets is inevitable.

"In turn, the lessees would be required to inform their insurers who may then decline to offer cover.

"The inclusion of stop-boards in the architect's plan gives an obvious indication of a known and historical risk but the photograph really brings home the futility of trying to hold back the sea."

The campaign chairman says visitors to the Next Wave exhibition have been told that the stop-boards would be put out if there was a flood alert.

Mrs Bishop says: "Remembering the events of October 1987, let us hope that Michael Fish will not be involved!

"Of course, the new premises could be called 'Canute's Folly' offering, as an extra attraction, the largest saltwater foot spa in Sussex!"

The Colonnade project is a key element of the Next Wave proposals and amounts to 2.3m of the total cost.

The SOS chairman says she hopes that when councillors decide whether to proceed with the Colonnade proposal they will instead look at alternative ways of making use of the existing space at much lower cost.