LBP are very pleased to announce that Cllr Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council has reviewed Phase 1 of the LBP Road Improvement Works, confirmed Phase 2 and even planned Phase 3!

Back in May 2024, Phase 1 was temporarily placed on hold following continual rain and heavy HGV movements exposed the full extent of the required substructure works. West Sussex Highways quickly restructured the project and implemented a new Phase 1 Road Improvement Plan, which saw extensive substructure repairs throughout August and September 2024. As part of these works, FM Conway (infrastructure specialists) filled all the potholes with an interim surface to improve road conditions for businesses, staff and visitors to the park.

LBP then discussed the ongoing need for further works with Cllr Paul Marshall who kindly agreed to review the project and budget, to determine how best West Sussex County Council could support the needs of the second largest employment area in the county. 

LBP are pleased to now share the outcome of Cllr Paul Marshall’s project review: 

'As you highlight it has been another very difficult wet year having considerable impact across the highway network. 

I’ve sought advice from the team on the issues raised in your email and I’m pleased to confirm with the repairs to the substructure of the roads (“Phase 1”) now complete. The team has developed a plan comprising a further two phases, which will incorporate resurfacing of all the publicly maintainable roads within the Business Park.

• Phase 2: resurfacing of Spencer Road and Commerce Way. These two roads are a flexible (tarmac) construction, and the intention is to resurface them in the early part of 2025.
  

• Phase 3: resurfacing of all other roads within the Business Park. The remaining roads are a rigid (concrete) construction. Design work will take place over the winter with the aim of construction taking place during the 2025/26 financial year. A specialist product specifically designed for rigid roads is being investigated for this phase, with a view to ensuring a high quality and long-lasting finish is achieved
  

Both of the remaining phases can be carried out at night to minimise the impact on individual businesses. The funding for Phase 2 is already available, and whilst the budget for the 2025/26 financial year will not be confirmed until early 2025, funding has been provisionally allocated in the draft delivery programme to enable Phase 3 to take place in full.

Once all phases are completed this improved highways infrastructure will add value to the business park as a location for businesses in the region.’

LBP would like to thank Cllr Paul Marshall and West Sussex County Council for their understanding and support for the 250 businesses and 3000 employees who work on Lancing Business Park.

West Sussex Highways has also confirmed that as Phase 1 was implemented successfully whilst retaining business access, FM Conway’s services have been secured for Phase 2 and Phase 3 deliveries. LBP will therefore be working with West Sussex Highways and FM Conway to plan these deliveries to minimise impact to businesses on the park, especially our 24/7 operators. 

More news to follow in the New Year!

LBP would like to congratulate Phil Kennedy, MD of Eschmann Technologies Ltd in Peter Road, for being formally appointed to the West Sussex Economic Growth Board (WSEGB).

The WSEGB has been newly formed by West Sussex County Council, to drive forward economic growth and prosperity in the county. It is a business-led board providing a strategic voice on key issues to inform countywide investment decisions.

Phil’s appointment is a real achievement and is based on his wealth of global medical manufacturing expertise. At the helm of Eschmann, Phil is well established at leading British design and manufacturing of medical, dental and animal health products and services. Eschmann’s has more than a 190 years of continuous innovation experience, producing world leading products like their T20 Operating Table, which is still used in hospitals around the globe. 

Phil is also the Chair of the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) an organisation who support the HealthTech community to provide products and services that help people live healthier lives, acting as the voice of the industry. 

After many years on Lancing Business Park, Phil’s new appointment provides LBP with a direct route into the WSEGB, to help raise local business issues direct with the strategic decision makers in West Sussex.

On Wednesday 27th November, Adur & Worthing Councils' Business Support Programme funded a free Sustainability Workshop for businesses on the park.

Delivered by Kerry and Simon from Brighton University's Clean Growth UK, the workshop explained the benefits businesses would gain from starting their Net Zero Journey as early as possible.

This jargon busting workshop provided a clear picture of how important it is for businesses to start considering and reporting their Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions and how this action could help secure new contracts, customers and skilled staff.

Michael Simmons, Operations Director for Shoreham Vehicle Auctions (SVA) explained their three stage plan to becoming the first Zero Emissions Auction House in the country. Stage 1 of their plan included installing 145 solar panels which produce on average 150kWh of electricity per day and in the summer this can soar to 400kWh. Along with replacing gas radiators for electric, an electric company car, EV chargers, a new valet filtration system and even bee hives at their third site in East Worthing.

Stage 2 will try to reduce tailpipe emissions, instal more solar panels and bees. Once all CO2 has been minimised, Stage 3 will consider investing in local carbon offsetting projects to help improve the local environment. 

Paula Rosa Manhattan (PRMF) also provided a presentation of their Net Zero Journey which commenced back in 2008, achieving zero landfill as early as 2012. By 2020 their production was Co2 Neutral and in 2022 HVO (biofuel) was introduced within their transport fleet. This year will see their Scope 1 transport emissions reach carbon neutral, following a 90% reduction! Their plans continue, with 2030 delivering a Scope 3 emissions reduction of 50%, perfectly placing PRMF to attract new large-scale contracts.

PRMF has implemented many measures to reach these impressive achievements including Real Living Wage accreditation, Air source heating system, an all electric forklift fleet, EV Chargers, building insulation and removal of all PVC products from their offering. Lee Golby, PRMF's Sustainability & Compliance Manager has kindly offered to share more details of PRMF's journey, with any businesses on LBP wanting to consider their own Net Zero Journey. Please email LBP by clicking here and we will help connect you to Lee.

Kerry and Simon then shared surprising carbon measurements. Did you know that using a hand dryer uses 2grams, whereas paper towels use 10grams. Or that an avocado is 625grams as they mainly come all the way from Mexico and just switching the milk in your tea from dairy to soya could reduce the carbon from 71grams to 47grams. Small changes can equate to huge reductions in Co2 when multiplied across a whole business.

To top things off, Kerry and Simon explained about the £3K Adur & Worthing BSP Sustainability Grant, which attendees now qualify to apply for.

LBP would like to thank SVA and Andie & Emily at the Auctioneer's Kitchen for kindly hosting this event, SVA and PRMF for sharing their journeys, along with Adur & Worthing Councils' BSP Programme and Brighton University.

LBP will be working to provide all LBP businesses with more information to support their Net Zero Journey, so please keep checking in.

On Friday the 15th November, Tom Rutland MP newly appointed for East Worthing & Shoreham, visited Lancing Business Park for the first time.

LBP are grateful to Tom for finding the time to visit the park and to the four LBP businesses who opened their doors to welcome Tom.  This was a whistle stop tour designed as a first introduction to the park.  Each of the four provided an overview of their operations and a quick tour of their site, whilst explaining the issues currently facing them.

The tour commenced with Lawrence Boon, MD at Fizz Creations in Commerce Way. Lawrence provided a tour of his global novelty gifts operation and introduced Tom to staff across the business. Lawrence explained Fizz's fair employer ethos and the difficulties UK companies face when trying to compete with the likes of China and Amazon.

In March 2025 new waste management obligations will come into force for businesses. 

To read Adur & Worthing Council Services' (AWCS) briefing on the changes please click here

LBP has been working with AWCS and Recorra to provide a range of FREE & discounted waste mananagement service for businesses based on the park, to help the transition and provide real savings.

Whether you are considering implementing mixed recycling to finally recycle those cans, tins, cartons and bottles; or food waste to save on your general waste bills, then AWCS can help provide discounted services at levels only available on LBP.

Don't worry if you're already an AWCS customer, as all the LBP discounts apply to exisiting customers too and will be automatically applied to your annual invoice.

If you're business has been shelling out for confidential waste services or wooden pallet collections, then LBP are pleased to confirm new FREE services for businesses based on the park. If you shred your own confidential waste and then are left unable to recycle this paper, we are pleased to announce a new FREE secure collection service on the park for you.

Is a large proportion of your general waste bin filled with pallet shrink wrap? If so, you will be pleased to hear about the new discounted recycling service on LBP, to reduce your general waste costs and carbon footprint.

Are you keen to recycle crisp packets, paper coffee cups and single use compostable cutlery? Then LBP has discounted services for those too.

Whatever material you want to recycle, LBP can help point you in the right direction to help grow the local circular economy.

For further details and discounted prices please click here.

It has been a difficult week for businesses and staff trying to navigate the local road network to access the park.

Damian Pulford, Chairman of Lancing Business Park BID (LBP) and MD of Sussex Transport would like to thank West Sussex Highways for working with LBP and the lighting contractor, Telent to implement traffic flow improvements to the roadworks permit on the A259 at Western Road Lancing.

“LBP appreciate these lighting improvements are essential to keep traffic flowing effectively on the A259 for years to come and that disruption was inevitable to enable these works to take place. Unfortunately, the impact of these works combined with unavoidable works on the A27, and utility works in Sompting Village, South Street and Grinstead Lane, have hit businesses hard as traffic flows ground to halt across Adur and Worthing.

LBP are therefore very grateful that West Sussex Highways understands the impact this has on businesses, staff and residents in the area and therefore have been proactively working to expedite these works ahead of the original 25^th October completion date. LBP are pleased to confirm that as the lighting groundworks are now complete, a new plan has been agreed and implemented to help relieve traffic congestion across the area, enabling two lanes in all directions to now function at the junction.

Additional temporary equipment has been quickly installed to open the extra lanes with a separate temporary lighting heads, whilst the remainder of the works are hoping to be completed by Wednesday 23^rd October. The additional temporary equipment is understandably slower than the finished lights, but having the extra lanes opened this afternoon has made a huge difference to traffic flow.

This really is great news for the 250 businesses and 3000 employees based on Lancing Business Park. It may seem like a cliché, but travel time really is money for our local businesses and anything that can be done to help keep our roads flowing, really helps support the local economy.”

To view more information in featured in The Worthing Herald, please click here.

A large proportion of our time is spent at work and many of us work within a team where we really get to know our colleagues, their routines and how they behave. Never was this more important than this week on the park!

Without mentioning names, a member of a team who has worked closely with a colleague for many, many years, thought it was strange that their colleague was running behind their never missed schedule. The team member was concerned and rather than just putting his concern to one side, he went to check on his colleague. After a quick chat he asked if his colleague had a toothache, but this was not the case. The team member just knew something was different and kept checking to then find his colleague's speech was starting to slur. 

Taking just few minutes to check on his colleague helped to raise the alert that his colleague was having a minor stroke. Immediate hospital action was taken and evidence of previous strokes came to light. The colleague is currently undertaking further medical tests to safeguard his health.

This could have been a very different story and LBP would like to commend the company for fostering a caring work environment and the team member for watching out for his colleague and taking quick action.

LBP is a vibrant business community and we are very all busy, but taking a few minutes to check when things feel wrong, could make all the difference. Encouraging staff to gently approach those they are concern about saves lives and can help ensure we all feel an important part of the environment in which we work.

For further details on what Stroke Signs to look out for please click here

West Sussex are also asking us all to be aware of the 48,000 deaths from Sepsis in the UK each year and quick action will also help save lives here too. For details of the Sepsis Signs to watch out for please click here

Please help spread the word.

LBP is pleased to confirm Phase One of the LBP Road Improvement Works is now complete, with all substructure repairs undertaken in Chartwell Road.

There are a few areas of line markings still to be replaced, but these will be repainted on a Saturday afternoon, to ensure Rabbit's access to their site is not impeded during operating hours. Plans are also underway to fill a couple of potholes in Marlborough Road North and one in Commerce Way, but these are awaiting excess materials from another job nearby, so we will need to be patient on these.

It was wonderful to see the completion of the new surface water drainage gully in Commerce Way and it has certainly been tested over the past week. The gully is fully working, helping to avoid flooding in Commerce Way and the Perpetual Puddle is no more!

The pavement corner outside Sussex Transport in Marlborough Road North served as an essential storage area for works debris, but unfortunately this took it's toll on the surfacing. LBP are so pleased to see that FM Conway has already beautifully resurfaced this corner.

LBP met with West Sussex Highways and FM Conway to walk the park yesterday, to sign off these works and discuss next steps. Unfortunately at this stage there are no guarantees, but plans are afoot to submit a funding bid for Phase Two of the LBP Road Improvement Works, which aim to fully resurface all the public highways across the LBP next year, along with repainting all the road markings.

Test drilling has been completed in Commerce Way and Spencer Road to show the substructure of these road is not a concrete base and therefore budget consideration is underway to see if these two roads can be resurfaced this year. More news as we hear it.

LBP is in discussion with Cllr. Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council, who has kindly taken an interest in LBP's road issues and is helping to review the next steps.

In the meantime, LBP has raised a safety concern regarding the fading of the one-way arrows in Chartwell Road and West Sussex Highways are referring this issue to see if these can be repainted asap.

This leaves LBP with one last job on Phase One and that is to thank:

• Everyone on the park for their understanding and patience during these works.
• West Sussex Highways for their meticulous planning and support for businesses based on LBP.
• FM Conway for their understanding, flexibility and communication, which have help ensure business access was retained as much as possible during all the works.

If you have any questions regarding this project please feel free to call LBP on 07584 503729.

Thank you!

Last weekend, FM Conway's crew worked all Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday to complete the works outside Rabbit's two access points in Chartwell Road. LBP are pleased to report that access was reopened as planned, ready for work as usual on Tuesday morning.

This week has seen great progress with the majority of the trenches now completed and areas of roadway reopened for full access. Unfortunately sourcing materials has continued to be problem which has caused a slight delay.

LBP are pleased to report that many more areas of plating have now been filled, along with the potholes in the Marlborough Road Car Park crossover. A new large capacity gully pot has also been fitted in Commerce Way, to remove the perpetual puddle and help avoid flooding. The crew plan to fill and re tarmac the gully area later today.

The crew has been observing vehicles entering and exiting the Winston Business Centre (WBC) Access Road and have identify a way to undertake the works at the the top of this access during the day, whilst retaining full access for businesses.

LBP are therefore pleased to report that a weekend closure of the WBC Access Road is no longer required. The crew plan to commence works here on Monday, with half the access worked on at a time. Additional crew will be on site to ensure that each vehicle is carefully guided through the access and if needed, the crew will speedily cover works with metal plates to maintain artic access. The works are expected to continue on Tuesday with full access open by end of play on Tuesday and fully completed on Wednesday.  The crew are prepped to facilitate business needs as quickly as possible, but please could all drivers be patient during these final works.

The area of pavement on the corner of Marlborough Road outside Sussex Transport has been an essential resource to enable all debris to be stored and then safely removed from the park. This area is due to be cleared early next week and the tarmac area will be resurfaced.

LBP will be walking the park with FM Conway early on Tuesday morning to help identify if any further works are required.

The works permit has been extended until Friday 6th September to enable these final works and to provide time for the crew to remove all of their equipment.

LBP look forward to confirming that all works have been completed next week.

This week saw the completion of the road improvement works at the entrance to Chartwell Road and a full switch to works on the left-hand side of Chartwell Road.

The crew has been reopening sections of road as soon as possible to enable the switch and power through the rest of the works to keep on track, regardless of the continued delays in concrete supply and the awful weather yesterday.

LBP liaised with businesses in Chartwell Road and all motor trade businesses on the park this week, to try to identify the owner of the Fiat Panda which has not moved from Chartwell Road for a substantial period of time and is now causing an obstruction to the roadworks. LBP also issued a urgent text alert but to no avail, as it appears the Fiat is not linked to any business on the park. Full  credit must be given to the artic drivers as they have managed to navigate around the Fiat and keep the traffic flowing. LBP will continue to try to find the owner of the Fiat and arrange for this vehicle to be removed from the park asap.

Trenches that were dug earlier in the week outside the Test Centre were filled with concrete late yesterday and the top coat is expected later today.  Today will also see many more areas of plating filled to help flatten the roads across the park.

LBP is very grateful to report that the crew has kindly cleaned the covered gullies in Blenheim Road and ensured these are now functioning to avoid future flooding. WSCC Drainage Team have kindly arranged for these gullies to be fully cleaned in the next two weeks to set us in good stead for the winter.

Works have also commence in Commerce Way on the new gully to prevent the Perpetual Puddle, provide better drainage during high rainfall and avoid the surface drainage system backing up across the park which causes silting problems.

There are only a few trenches now left to dig but three of these are problematic. The crew has therefore kindly agreed to work this Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, to dig the trenches required outside both of Rabbit's access points in Chartwell Road. Plans are in place to ensure Rabbit's access is restored by first thing on Tuesday morning.

We will then be left with the trench required at the top of the Winston Business Centre (WBC) access road. Maintaining weekday and Saturday morning access here is essential, therefore approval has been sort to enable Saturday afternoon and Sunday working, hopefully on 31st August and 1st of September. The WBC businesses have been notified of this temporary access closure and dates will be confirm early next week.