PLANS to give one of the busiest areas of Chichester a facelift have been unveiled.

Architects will be hired to draw up detailed designs as part of a project known as the Southern Gateway Regeneration.

The aim is to make a key approach to the city centre more attractive to visitors and spark economic growth.

Architects will be asked to redesign the city's bus station and the nearby railway station forecourt complex.

They will also be asked to draw up a series of environmental improvements for the Chichester canal basin.

Talks will be held with bus and rail firms to try to negotiate an agreement on transforming the Southgate area of the city. A longer-term development plan for the area could also see the city's police station, which is next to the canal basin, being sold off for development.

Chief Constable Paul Whitehouse has said he would be interested in any proposals which mean a new police

station with good access

to the main A27

trunk road and Chichester bypass. The detailed design work will be paid for from a regeneration budget with contributions from the district council, County Hall and Chichester's city council.

A report said: "This will help to realise the vision of a regeneration scheme embracing a long-needed facelift for the rail and bus station areas."

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