Worthing Homes dispute

But the row generated by Worthing Homes' ill-advised action has now blown up in their faces. The company has wilted under a storm of protest from the garage tenants and nearby residents objecting to plans to redevelop the garage compound off Limbrick Lane, Goring.

The original rumour was that flats would be built on the compound site '” and then that the land would be used for a Worthing Homes estate maintenance machinery depot.

Among those up in arms is an 80-year-old war heroine, Violet Tynan, who served with the Army in Germany before the Nazis surrendered.

Although many homes on the former council-run estate are now privately owned, the garage compounds are still managed by Worthing Homes.

The row erupted at the end of last week when garage tenants found the offending letter pushed under the doors of their lock-ups.

Dated December 2, the letter gave tenants notice to quit by December 20, and demanded that the keys should be returned to Worthing Homes by that date.

The curt letter said that "failure to comply with the above will result in Worthing Homes Limited's contractors calling at the garage after the expiry of this notice to change the locks and dispose of the contents".

It also warned of financial penalties if the keys were not returned.

The letter was signed by Carolyn Silverthorne, Worthing Homes' neighbourhood housing officer.

Mrs Tynan, who lives in Limbrick Close, told the Herald she had lived in her home since it was built 50 years ago.

"Worthing Homes' action is disgusting," she said. "I am still driving my 20-year-old Nissan Sunny and one reason it is in such good condition is that I have been able to garage it."

Veronica Burstow, aged 58, lives adjacent to the compound and she told the Herald she was worried about what sort of development would go there, and the traffic it would generate,

Peter and Hazel Mann, of Limbrick Lane, who run a Motability car, said they had rented one of the garages for the past 20 years. If they lost their garage they could not park the car under cover.

Robin Roberts, Worthing Homes' property services director, said he did not agree that the letter placed under the garage doors had been "nasty" or "ill-advised", but he agreed that there had been no-preconsultation with the tenants.

He continued: "Everyone will get a letter today to say we have put the notice to quit on hold because we agree that consultation could have been better.

We will arrange a meeting with residents in the new year to explain what we are trying to do.

"We will discuss with them their concerns and look at the site, and consider other alternatives.

"We will listen to the tenants' views and explain our reasons for proposing this and we will be more than happy to look at other sites as well," he said.