Vision for the Future

The East Worthing and Shoreham MP visited the estate to see the full-size models that had been created by architecture students from Brighton University in collaboration with the children who live there.

The students visited the estate back in October and asked the children what they would like to see there. The children then had a trip to Brighton University and, last Wednesday, the architecture students returned to the estate to see the models in place.

Speaking to residents and students, Mr Loughton said: "I'm really pleased to be here today because things are really happening.

"What we've got here today, in a short space of time, are the tangible results of things happening on this estate. There's a hell of a lot going on here and there's a real buzz on this estate."

Wayne Green, from the residents' association, said there were 85 families with 200 children living on the estate, and described the pioneering work between the local community and the University of Brighton as a vision of the future.

The project has been given the full backing of the local MP, councillors and the Adur Economic Partnership.

Andre Viljoen, a senior lecturer in architecture at the university, said the students brief had been "to interpret the wishes of the children and to turn very general ideas into things which are real.

"They wanted a football pitch or a swimming pool or some things which were more interesting, like a disco. The other interesting thing is they wanted a small classroom, where they could sit and talk."

Andre added: "For us, it's mutually beneficial in that the students benefited by having a real client, the children, to work with, and then, hopefully, we're helping the estate to develop its programme of reactivating the place."