HOMES, workplaces and technology of the future will be developed thanks to £7 million of public investment in the Coastal West Sussex area.

After a detailed bidding process, the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership has allocated government money from the final phase of Growth Deal 1 and Growth Deal 2 funds to three projects across the region.

CWS leaders welcomed the investment, adding it would help unlock future growth and generate millions more pounds of investment across its area.

The projects to benefit were:

• £5 million towards Southern Gateway Development (Chichester) which will regenerate mainly brownfield land site within Chichester town centre. Plans will include the creation of new homes, business space, leisure and tourism facilities, as well as sustainable transport links;

• £500,000 towards Bognor Regis Creative Digital Hub (Bognor Regis) will establish new digital infrastructure in the form of a shared and collaborative workspace in currently disused space at Bognor Regis Railway Station.

• £1.5 million for Ricardo Hybrid Powertrain (Shoreham) to deliver a state of the art four-wheel drive hybrid powertrain rig to enable the research and development of the next generation of electrified powertrain systems and vehicles.

Caroline Wood, director of the Coastal West Sussex Partnership, said: “We are really pleased that three projects in our area have benefited from this investment. In their own different ways, they will all help us achieve an aim of a strong and diverse local economy while providing modern homes and offices for local residents.

“However, we are extremely disappointed that another application for the SaltBox site in Bognor Regis wasn’t successful. This will have major implications on the delivery of a significant commercial site in Bognor Regis which has just received planning approval and ready for delivery.”

A total of £27 million was allocated across the Coast to Capital area, which covers the area from Croydon to Brighton and Seaford across to the West Sussex border.