Here’s the developer in line to build 186 homes in the heart of Worthing

The Union Place site was acquired by Worthing Borough Council in 2018 and since then has gained outline planning permission for 169 homes, commercial space, an extensions to the Connaught Theatre and a 90-bed hotel.

WBC bought the site for £10.1 million, of which £6.9 million was borrowed.

Now Roffey Homes has been named as the council’s chosen development partner for the site.

The Worthing-based developer has delivered 50 projects in the town, including Bayside Apartments.

Members of the joint strategic committee are being asked to approve the partnership and a decision will be made on Tuesday (February 8).

Delivering Union Place was considered ‘beyond the council’s ability from a financial perspective’ and, as a result, the site was marketed.

Union Place – which has stood vacant for many years – is expected to deliver at least 150 of the 900 homes proposed in Worthing’s draft Local Plan.

Roffey Homes has proposed starting on site by Spring 2023 and council officers say the redevelopment will be a ‘catalyst for change’ by helping to revitalise the high street and deliver new housing.

The 169 homes proposed have now increased to 186 with 37 being affordable homes reserved for those on WBC’s housing list.

Apartments will have either one or two bedrooms and could cost between £230,000 – £525,000.

Access would be via Chatsworth Road with 250 parking spaces provided.

A cinema next to the Connaught Theatre and commercial space are also still included in the plans.

Roffey Homes has also mooted a residents’ gym and sky lounge.

In a design statement, Roffey Homes said: “Union Place is to be a street framed with trees, establishing a view to St Paul’s Church in Chapel Road, and thus repairing this historic street.”

In order to progress with the scheme, the council would need to purchase the car park next to the Connaught Theatre which brings in £118,000 a year.

WBC would also need to purchase the high street car park which could cost £456,820 and see the facility closed.

Currently the car park brings in around £33,000 per year.

Legal and financial advice associated with the development could cost up to £150,000 – or the majority of the council’s revenue budget for major projects next year.

 Under proposals from Roffey Homes, WBC would enter into a joint venture partnership.

This would ‘tie the council into the site long term’ requiring ‘significant personnel and capital resources’ – something officers have described as having a ‘greater degree of risk’ as opposed to selling off the site.

WBC would still own the freehold at the site and it is expected that it would be able to pay off any debt incurred from buying the land.

The council previously entered into a partnership with London & Continental Railways Limited to bring the site forward but the developer has agreed to end its contract so long as it is reimbursed for any costs and the council buys back the car park it sold in 2018.

Further details and financial estimates are expected to be brought back to the joint strategic committee at a later date.