'We share the frustrations' - Council updates residents on stalled housing project in West Sussex village

Construction of 16 new homes at Daniel Close and Gravelly Crescent was halted, in October 2025, after the contractor filed for administration.

Boutique Modern was responsible for carrying out the Adur District Council developments.

The Worthing Herald was told in March 2026 that nearby residents have, for 18 months, ‘not been able to exit their rear gardens’ due to the works at the site, even after they were paused. Residents have also reportedly been unsuccessful with requests to the council for the metal fencing to be moved.

In response, a spokesperson for Adur District Council said: "The land behind the residents’ homes is designated as part of a building site, so we cannot at this stage allow them access to it for their own safety.

"We share the frustrations of those living in and around Daniel Close and Gravelly Crescent that these sites don’t look great currently and that residents have been disrupted by the construction delay, but we want these much-needed new homes to be completed as soon as possible.”

The council said it was ‘unfortunate’ that Boutique Modern went into administration ‘while the new council homes were still under construction’.

The spokesperson added: "We explored our options to get the homes completed as soon as possible but the administration process created some obstacles for us, including us being legally unable to access the site for a lengthy period of time.

"Resolving that situation involved further delay but we were then able to organise for essential health and safety work to be done on the site. We are currently reviewing expressions of interest from a number of interested contractors.

“Now that we have been able to confirm the site is safe for workers, we will be able to allow the potential contractors on site to assess the level of work that remains to be completed on the homes and to provide quotes for the project. We will appoint a contractor as soon as possible.

“We are hopeful that construction work will be able to resume on site before the summer.”

The council’s original statement, in October, made clear that the projects were at an ‘advanced stage of construction’.

It added: “We will look for the best way for work to resume on site as soon as possible, so that these new homes for Adur residents in need of somewhere to live can be completed.”

In December, a council update read: “We’re hopeful that work will finally be able to resume very soon on the 16 new council homes that are being built for us in Lancing.

"It’s been more than two months since construction work stopped on our projects to build sic, three-bedroom, nine two-bedroom and a one-bedroom home on our former garage sites in Daniel Close and Gravelly Crescent.

“In October we explained that Boutique Modern, the contractor building the homes, was unfortunately intending to go into administration, halting work immediately.

“We have been exploring our options to get the homes completed as soon as possible so Adur residents in need of somewhere to live can move into them, but the administration process has created some legal and practical obstacles for us.”

The council said it has not been demonstrated, ‘to our satisfaction’, that the ‘necessary health and safety works are being carried out’.

It added: “In the absence of this proof, we have decided that the best way to ensure the sites are secure is to formally terminate the contract with Boutique Modern.

“As a result, over the next few weeks activity will resume on the sites, first health and safety work and then an assessment of exactly what needs to be done to finish the projects. We hope to be able to then appoint new contractors early in the new year.

“We share the frustrations of those living in and around Daniel Close and Gravelly Crescent that these sites don’t look great currently and that residents have been disrupted by the construction delay. We want these much-needed new homes to be completed as soon as possible.”