Worthing

February 23rd, 2022

Worthing’s budget set for 2022/23

The health of residents, shoppers and the local economy will be the focus of funding to boost Worthing over the next 12 months.
Worthing Borough Council approved its spending plans for the next financial year last night (Tuesday 22 February) with a balanced budget for healthy living and regeneration.

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February 21st, 2022

Green light given to transform Colonnade House

Worthing is set to benefit from a state-of-the-art digital hub that will bring a modern twist to the town’s historic Colonnade House and transform the partially derelict site.

The historic four-storey Colonnade House is currently occupied by a mixture of buildings in varying states and Worthing Borough Council’s Planning Committee gave the green light to rejuvenate the area at a meeting on Wednesday, February 16th.

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February 21st, 2022

Council's response towards achieving Carbon Neutral endorsed by Department of Environment Minister

Worthing Borough Council has been praised by Conservative Minister for Nature Recovery and the Domestic Environment, Rebecca Pow MP, on a visit to the town for it's wide variety of work to help achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

The minister was met by Tim Loughton MP and Conservative Council Leader Kevin Jenkins to explore the Sussex Bay initiative. It was explained how the council has sought to become the first local authority in the UK to lease the seabed off their coast from the Queen in a pioneering project to invest in climate change measures and restore marine habitat. This move paves the way from an ambitious plan to create a Sussex Bay Marine Park along the entire county coast, east and west, to protect vital marine life, restore estuary habitat and even create a destination for eco tourism. It is seen as the 'blue mirror' to the South Downs, with all the environmental protection, tourism and potential job opportunities that could be created.

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February 16th, 2022

Work begins on new car-free Montague Place

Work to transform Montague Place into a more attractive place for shoppers and tourists has begun.

Worthing Borough Council consulted with businesses and residents about its plans to use government funding to pedestrianise the road - cutting traffic pollution and creating a better place for people.

Work has begun on the site after West Sussex County Council gave approval for the road to be permanently closed to traffic.

Montague Place has been closed to traffic since June 2020 so the Council could increase social distancing between visitors in the heart of the town centre following the first lockdown, but this was only agreed as a temporary measure during the pandemic.

Now the current road surface will be raised and decorated so that the whole of Montague Place is level, making it more appealing for visitors and businesses. Extra lighting will be provided and new planters will be installed, as well as parklets - areas of seating surrounded by plants and shrubs - to make the area even more welcoming.

The Council, working with West Sussex County Council, will then ask residents and traders how they would like the area to look in the long-term, before giving the road a complete makeover. Work on giving Montague Place its permanent new look could begin in 2023.

Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Cllr Nicky Waight, said: “The proposed enhancement to Montague Place will make the area more user-friendly to pedestrians and will provide a link between Montague Street and the seafront.

“This will then be a more attractive and green space for residents, visitors and local businesses.”

The disabled parking spaces that were temporarily relocated to Marine Parade outside Marks & Spencer have now been made permanent, whilst new disabled bays have also been installed in the Montague Quarter car park. The loading bays at the seafront end of Montague Place will remain in place for business use.

There could be some slight disruption over the next eight weeks before the road fully reopens to visitors in time for Easter. The work is being paid for using Welcome Back funding, secured from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in response to supporting town centres during the pandemic.

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