BRIGHTON and Hove Albion executive director said there would be huge benefits from the Ikea plan.

Martin Perry, pictured, said: “The planning application fundamentally seeks to deliver the strategic development that is allocated by the Adur Local Plan which the council adopted in December 2017. It will deliver 600 homes (30 per cent of which will be affordable), 31,099 sqm of employment space generating floorspace creating jobs and significant tax receipts and a 27.71 hectare country park on currently inaccessible land.

“It will also open up vital development opportunities at Shoreham Airport which will generate even more jobs and help to sustain the airport’s future.

“On transport both Highways England and West Sussex County Council as highway authority are satisfied that the development will not add unacceptably to rush hour congestion on the A27.

“Highways England and West Sussex County Council have confirmed the proposed upgraded River Adur route for non-motorised users meets standards and will provide a surfaced width of 2.5m along its length, and the proposals are considered to be a significant improvement to the existing facilities at the Sussex Pad. It must be safer to go under the A27 than try to cross a de-restricted road with prevalent high traffic flows and speeds.”