Sainsbury's awaits green light to open new convenience store in Worthing

Alder King Planning Consultants have submitted a planning application – on behalf of Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd – for the site to the east of South Street in Tarring.

It has been proposed that SsangYong dealership Clarion Cars’ showroom will be demolished and replaced by a new convenience store ‘with associated frontage parking’.

According to a planning document, the site currently consists of a car showroom, with ‘several connected buildings’ and space for cars to be displayed.

"The proposed scheme is for planning permission for the demolition of the existing car showroom and the building of a Sainsbury’s Local Convenience Store,” the planning statement read.

"The convenience store of 407m2 will be operated as a ‘Sainsbury’s Local’ format store. The store would be supported by a customer car park at the front of the

store which will also provide cycle parking facilities.

“The proposed store would sell a range of convenience items, including fresh fruit & vegetables, meats, dairy products, bakery, alcohol, sandwiches/ lunch items and general grocery goods. In addition, the store would sell a limited range of non-food items such as kitchen essentials and household cleaning products.”

The planning document stated that such stores are ‘commonplace across the country’ and serve mainly to provide top-up shopping – ‘reducing the need for customers to travel further’ to purchase essential everyday items.

The proposed store will ‘not be large enough’ to cater for the main food shopping needs of most customers and ‘neither will it attract customers from beyond a localised catchment area’. This is ‘due to the limited ranges’ a ‘store of this size can accommodate’.

"However, it will provide choice and competition for top-up, convenience shopping in Tarring,” the plans added.

In summary, the statement concluded that the proposal:

– Is in a sustainable location, being a convenience store within the residential area;

– Is of the correct scale and massing and will serve an important role within the local community;

– Has direct and indirect economic, social, and environmental benefits;

– Will be easily accessible from sustainable modes of transport and the local highway network;

– Will not adversely impact the surrounding highway and will provide an appropriate level of parking to support the store;

– Will not create any drainage issues;

– Will not create any residential amenity issues generated by deliveries or the operation of the store; and will improve the street scene.

To see the full application, visit Worthing Borough Council’s planning portal and search for reference AWDM/0407/25.