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Designs for one of Worthing’s white elephant development sites have been shared with the public.

The Union Place site was acquired by Worthing Borough Council in 2018.

Since then planning permission has been granted for 169 homes, commercial space, a Connaught Theatre extension, and a 90-bed hotel.

WBC purchased the site and the adjacent NCP car park for a total of £9.6 million, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership supported the project with £3.6 million and Roffey Homes was named as the preferred development partner in February.

Proposed design of new development at Union Place, Worthing

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

Now Roffey is seeking the public’s opinion on the latest designs which vary considerably to the previous ones.

They include approximately 200 homes, commercial space, parking, and three private gardens.

According to the consultation site, the developer will seek to provide 20 per cent affordable housing.

The hotel and theatre extension have both been scrapped from the plans.

A public consultation event took place on Wednesday (November 16) and an online consultation will be open until November 30.

Speaking on Wednesday, Alec Parcell, an architect at Allies and Morrison, said: “This scheme is circa 200 units with a small amount of commercial space – the use class is undecided – then retaining the car park which we have underneath a podium.

“Something the previous scheme didn’t have was the residents’ amenity in terms of these gardens.

“The current consented scheme is up to 14-storeys. We’re not going close to that – it’s a big change.”

Mr Parcell said taller buildings are needed in order to provide as much housing as possible but the proposed scheme could be more like seven to ten-storeys.

The taller buildings would be located to the south of the site.

Jamie Wilkes, a planner at ECE Planning, said the height of the tallest building would be similar to the Environment Agency office, in Chatsworth Road.

“Parking is going to be at ground floor level behind the commercial space,” said Mr Wilkes, “It’s going to provide public and private car parking as well with the gardens above it.”

More details about the current designs can be found at ECE Planning’s website and members of the public have until November 30 to submit their feedback: https://eceplanning.com/public_consultation_union_place/

Worthing Union Place development plans revised to include around 200 homes and commercial space