Thousands of homes to be built on North Bersted estate

The Church Commissioners and David Langmead are due to submit

plans for the Bognor Regis Eco Quarter development north of Chalcraft Lane by the end of next month.

The first stage of the scheme will involve 2,000 homes '“ out of a proposed total of 2,500 homes '“ on farmland along with 47,000sq m of employment space.

The scheme forms part of one of the options put out for consultation by Arun District Council.

Stephen Melligan, of the Church Commissioners, said its scheme was in pole position.

It formed a sustainable urban extension in line with the views of the influential South East Plan recently issued by the government.

"The South East Plan does not support the idea of a completely new settlement or dispersal of development to villages away from existing towns," said Mr Melligan, the commission's head of planning development.

"Option One, which includes our proposals for the eco quarter, therefore seems the only sustainable choice.

"Through the technical work we have carried out and the consultation that has taken place... we believe the final application will be one that is not only appropriate for the location but also one that delivers considerable benefits for existing residents and businesses."

But many of the hundreds of residents who went along to an exhibition earlier this month about the eco-quarter still have serious concerns about its impact.

Early indications of their comments, which are still being received, showed worries remained about the proposed housing's effect on surrounding roads and the potential for flooding on the site.

Mr Melligan said a lot of work had gone into improving roads and public transport provision.

Flooding was being tackled by several initiatives, such as the creation of ponds to absorb heavy rainfall.