Plans for Worthing town centre gateway site resubmitted

Worthing Borough Council is seeking permission to demolish 2-7 High Street and 52 Ann Street and replace the buildings with five emergency accommodation flats, a café, and a new ‘digital and creative hub’.

The scheme, originally costed at £4 million, would see Colonnade House retained and extended.

Planning officers say the ‘bold’ design which includes a modern look and a green colour scheme, was ‘deliberately designed to act as a contrast’.

But plans for a similar scheme were rejected by the planning committee in October after they expressed concern over the loss of the buildings.

Officers say the loss of the buildings would be justified considering that the flats will be used as emergency accommodation and the extension will provide space for small digital and creative businesses.

They added that Colonnade House has had ‘high occupancy levels’ with gallery space having a near 100 per cent occupancy rate since the building opened as a cultural hub in 2016.

Suggestions to convert instead of demolish the buildings would make the scheme ‘unviable’ due to dilapidation, asbestos and fire damage, according to officers.

A heritage report also concluded that some of the buildings did not warrant their status as ‘local interest buildings’ due to changes made since the 19th century.

The chairman of the Coastal West Sussex Partnership joined 15 others in supporting the scheme.

“The creative and digital tech industry is particularly important to the coastal

economy,” they said.

“Across the UK, the sector employs over 2.1 million people and directly contributes over £115.9 billion to the economy.

“Data suggests that Chichester and Worthing have a growing creative industries presence with the Worthing micro cluster being the fastest growing cluster across coastal West Sussex.

“In recent years, Colonnade House has played a key role in supporting the growth of these businesses and the wider creative community and it’s critical that this facility should be able to be redeveloped.”

But the scheme also received 28 objections including one from The Victorian Society.

One objector said: “The town has lost most of its soul and now another wrecking ball to the little heritage that remains.”

The Council for British Archaeology objected to the original scheme which was discussed in October.

It said: “These buildings contribute to the 19th century character of the South Street Conservation Area in illustrating the development of Worthing in this period as a fashionable seaside resort, which is an important aspect of Worthing’s cultural heritage and identity.”

Local conservation group the Worthing Society said it had been contacted by ‘an increasing number of concerned members’ over the loss of the buildings.

The plans are due to be discussed at a meeting on Wednesday (16 February).

More details can be found at the council’s planning portal using the reference: AWDM/2309/21.