Worthing Town Centre Development Could See No Affordable Homes
- Thomas Hanway LDR
- Oct 14
- 1 min read
Plans for a 216-home development in Worthing town centre could go ahead without any affordable housing.
The Union Gardens scheme, on a brownfield site in Union Place, was originally approved in February 2024 with 48 affordable homes included.
But developer Roffey Homes has submitted a variation that could remove the affordable housing element entirely.
Council officers say Roffey has been unable to find a registered housing provider to take on the affordable homes, citing affordability issues.
Under the new plans, the developer could either build affordable housing elsewhere in Worthing or pay over £1 million in section 106 contributions to the council.
Officers are recommending approval to avoid delaying the project, with the 106 payment being the preferred option.
The planning committee will discuss the changes at Worthing Town Hall on Wednesday, October 15, at 6.30pm, with the meeting open to the public and viewable online here.
It’s disappointing to see affordable homes potentially being removed from this development. While the £1 million Section 106 contribution might help, it doesn’t replace the community benefit of having housing people can actually afford. Kind of feels like playing snake game and skipping the apples—sure, the game keeps going, but you’re missing the point