Concrete view on car park

I READ the articles in the Worthing Herald (March 4) with a great deal of personal interest.

Firstly, may I say that it would be grossly unfair to castigate or pillory any present serving officers of Worthing Borough Council over matters in which they have no first-hand knowledge.

They would merely have access to what files have been permitted to remain and I can assure you that a number of embarrassing facts were never even filed and recorded.

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With regard to the Grafton car park, I can further assure you that the stability and sufficiency of the main car park places no reliance whatsoever on the southern promenade deck, which was provided as a pedestrian amenity and roof cover over the basement access roadway.

Even now after some 40 years, a proper chemical analysis on some of the fallen concrete samples will verify whether or not adequate and efficient quality control of materials was carried out during construction.

Following the reorganisation of local government in 1974, many unproven chief officers were politically appointed and the ensuing problems associated with high alumina cement products promoted a spate of demolition dementia to the detriment of logical thought.

It was and still remains my professional opinion that in the main, both Clifton Court and the Durrington car park could still be giving a safe and satisfactory service, as indeed do many other domestic and commercial buildings nationwide, which incorporated high alumina cement products in their construction.

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My objections were disregarded and the spate of demolition continued disgracefully. As you may be aware, the Durrington car park was built by Lloyds Bank as a planning requirement and subsequently gifted to Worthing Council.

J.W.F. Hall

Leeward Road

Worthing

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