Decision due on Worthing health hub

The central clinic off Stoke Abbott Road would be demolished and redeveloped along with the current surface level car park.

A new integrated care centre would provide primary care GP services, community services, mental health support and dentistry, an ancillary pharmacy and office accommodation.

The intended ocuupiers include the Worthing Medical Group, incorporating its practices at Shelley Road and Heene Road, Paydens Pharamcy located in the Shelley Road practice and the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust currently based at the central clinic.

A multi-storey car park with 185 spaces would also be built and connected to the main building by a bridge on the second floor.

The entrance would be via Richmond Road, with vehicles exiting on to Stoke Abbott Road.

A decision on an application for the scheme is set to be made by Worthing Borough Council’s planning committee next Wednesday (August 26).

Six letters of objection have been received including one standard letter submitted by two local residents.

They raised concerns about overdevelopment, the appearance and scale of the car park as well as the impact on nearby properties and road safety.

However two letters of support were received welcoming the plans.

Officers described how the site had been recognised as ‘underutilised’ for some years.

The needs of different occupiers had resulted in the need for ‘two fairly substantial buildings’ and the approach had been to locate the decked car park in the centre of the site and the health hub fronting on to Stock Abbott Road.

In their report, they concluded: “The proposed development has been designed to a very high standard and has successfully dealt with the constraints of the site and a demanding brief from different health partners coming together to share a facility for the first time.

“The new integrated health facility will significantly improve local health facilities and help to improve health outcomes for the local community.

“The development has been designed to successfully relate to the lower residential character of Stoke Abbott Road and provide an appropriate relationship with heritage assets.”

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