West Durrington skatepark plans halted as council considers what should replace it

The scheme relates to a Section 106 financial contribution from the developers of 700 new homes in West Durrington.

The payment of £120,000 was originally earmarked for an off-site skatepark within the Durrington and Northbrook wards.

However, Worthing Borough Council is seeking a deed of variation to the contract to see the money used for an alternative youth-focussed facilities, following further consultation with residents.

The 2012 legal agreement between the council and the developer states that any part of the contribution that is unused or uncommitted within five years of payment, will need to be returned.

The deadline for the first instalment is March 14, 2027 and the £42,944.27 payment will need to be repaid with interest.

The council has acknowledged that another consultation is necessary, which will take a considerable amount of time to complete. With this in mind it is also seeking to extend the agreement by around 18-24 months to avoid repayments early next year.

The West Durrington Consortium, comprising Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Vistry said: “Our primary concern is that the funds continue to be used for recreational provision that will directly benefit residents of our development site and the surrounding area.

“We would therefore expect any revised use of the contribution to remain focused on facilities serving the local community, rather than being directed towards borough-wide provision or projects located outside the immediate locality.”

The Consortium has indicated its support in principle for reallocating the contribution, subject to further understanding of the proposed changes. It has also said it would not be prepared to meet any legal or professional costs associated with the variation.

Officers have recommended that the Planning Committee approve the two changes to the S106 agreement in their next meeting on November 11.