Plans to build 27 one-bedroom flats in Worthing town centre have been refused after councillors raised concerns over the design, heritage impact, housing mix and flood risk.
The application was considered by Worthing Borough Council’s planning committee at a meeting on Wednesday, October 7.
The plans proposed demolishing existing buildings at 10-20 Marine Place and replacing them with a three-storey building containing 27 one-bedroom flats.
The site lies withing the South Street Conservation Area and is close to listed buildings including the Dome Cinema, Bedford Cottage and Bedford Row.
Planning officers recommended refusal on eight grounds, including the design of the building, its impact on nearby heritage assets, the proposed housing mix and the standard of accommodation.
The Environment Agency objected to the application, saying the flood risk assessment did not adequately assess whether the development could increase flood risk elsewhere.
The developer’s planning agent, Ozan Denizer, asked councillors to defer the application rather than refuse it.
He said: “We are not asking members to disregard the concerns raised. We’re simply asking for the opportunity to address them.”
Developer Paul Craig also called for more time to address the issues and said the project formed part of the wider redevelopment of the town centre.
He said ‘tens of millions of pounds’ had been invested in Worthing and argued the site should be brought forward for housing.
However, the council’s report said the proposed 27 one-bedroom flats did not provide an appropriate housing mix and that there was not enough evidence to show why this type of accommodation was needed.
Councillor Richard Nowak said: “This is a major scheme and this is a site that if nothing were to happen, would carry on looking pretty derelict and moribund. I feel we have an onus to make sure that something is done with that site.”
He added that he would support a deferral to allow the applicant and officers more time to exchange information.
The committee’s chair, councillor Helen Abrahams, said: “There are a number of different factors here, so perhaps a deferral isn’t the best course of action, if it needs so much of a rethink.”
The application was ultimately turned down.
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