The developer previously converted Columbia House from a five-story office block into 104 flats and is currently building two new floors on top of the building to produce 10 more homes. It was also given permission by the Council in 2019 to build a further 25 flats on what was previously Columbia House’s car park.

The latest application replaces the previously approved one for the car park and includes environmental features for the new residents and greener surroundings.

The block would be fitted with an environmentally-friendly air source heat pump system to reduce the heating and ventilation bills of the residents, while solar panels would be installed on the roof to generate green energy. There would also be communal gardens around three sides of the building, including a children’s play area.

As the development involves the removal of ageing conifers along part of the frontage, councillors required the developer to plant replacement trees along the roadside in front of the block, which must be larger than normal new planting. The developer must also pay £66,000 towards the improvement of the town’s parks and open spaces. 

The planning committee also required the developer to give the Council £300,000 to support the creation of affordable housing elsewhere in the borough. If the project is more profitable for the developer than predicted, that figure could increase.

Cllr Caroline Baxter, Worthing’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “As a Council for the community, we’re also determined that new developments should support our principles of being fair, green and local.

“It’s vital that new buildings play their part in helping us towards net zero by being environmentally-friendly, energy efficient and cheaper to heat and power.

“Our town urgently needs more housing and we support projects like this that put more sustainable homes in the right places.” 

The new block would be mainly one-bedroom flats with some two and three-bedroom flats, each of which would have their own balcony or terrace. There would be 54 car parking spaces, many of them with charging points for electric vehicles, a car club and 80 bike spaces. 

To read the report to the committee visit https://democracy.adur-worthing.gov.uk/documents/s10829/Combined%20item%207.pdf