Eyesore's no more as Minelco plan revealed

But last week, members of the public were offered a glimpse into what the former Minelco site in Shoreham could look like if development plans went ahead.

Hundreds of people attended a series of public consultations at the Shoreham Centre, where representatives of Southern Housing Group, the site owners, were on hand to answer questions. The plans for the site include housing, retail space and restaurants.

Feedback from residents will be used by the housing association during the design stage. A planning application will be submitted to Adur District Council in the summer.

Spencer Neal, who organised the consultation, said: “All the residents agreed that something had to be done with the site. Everybody wants more homes, but also to make sure that the benefits to the area outweigh any concerns.”

One such resident was Teresa Hall from Shoreham. The 66-year-old said she was ‘worried about the height of the buildings’ and the impact of more housing on schools, healthcare and traffic.

But Keith and Sally Cooper, who have lived in Shoreham for 55 years, welcomed the build.

Mrs Cooper, 78, said: “That wharf is such an eyesore, it’s awful. So anything is better than that. People are always going to have objections but you’ve got to see both side of the coin. There’s always going to be traffic jams – you just have to put up with it.”

Mr Neal added that the housing assocation would contribute to improving nearby infrastructure as part of the project.