Worthing: Derelict site could be turned into 11-storey blocks of flats

The development, Union Gardens, planned for Worthing’s Union Place, is a joint venture between developer Roffey Homes and Worthing Borough Council, and would see mixed-use blocks up to 11 storeys tall house 216 apartments built on the key town-centre site.

Plans include ground 700 square metres of commercial space, six ‘work/live’ apartments, and access to a new 146-space car park, cycle parking and communal residential gardens via Chatsworth Road – with the new car park planned underneath the gardens.

They also show 104 one bed, 100 two bed and 12 three bed apartments at a rate of 20 per cent affordable, or 43 affordable homes – down from 48 previously.

Union Place, Worthing (Image: Planning)Worthing Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and citizen services, Emma Taylor-Beal (Labour, Heene), previously said the council would look into buying back some apartments once completed for social rent, saying affordable housing was still not affordable for many people.

The existing Union Place car park has around 150 spaces, which the plans say has remained essentially ‘untouched’ since the previous buildings on the site were knocked down.

The development will face onto Union Place, High Street and Chatsworth Road, with three-to-four storey blocks facing out to the road, and the up-to-11-storey blocks in the middle.

In their design and access statement, Architects Allies and Morrison and Roffey said it was a ‘landmark’ development for Worthing, focused on ‘re-establishing’ Union Place as an important piece of the high street.

They said trees would be planted along High Street to provide a ‘tree cover’ and enhance the street scene.

The statement also said there would be an emphasis on sustainable drainage and energy generation for the development, adding air source heat pumps and potentially connecting the development to the Worthing Heat Network.

Council members recently approved the purchase of £6million in shares of the joint venture, splitting total investment 50/50 with Roffey. The joint venture company is called Union Gardens LLP, and was officially incorporated, or established, on November 10, with Roffey Homes Limited and Procter Cheal Ltd listed as its appointed members.