Town-centre regeneration scheme agreed

A million-pound regeneration of a Worthing town centre road is hoped to bring a ‘vibrant and inclusive space’ to the town.

Worthing Borough Council has given the green light for work to begin on pedestrianising and modernising Portland Road from next month.

The £925,000 scheme, which is funded by West Sussex County Council and the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.

In an attempt to encourage visitors to the town centre and support local businesses, the project will introduce free ultrafast public WiFi, better lighting, comfortable seating areas, cycle racks and landscape planting.

Kevin Jenkins, the council’s cabiner member for regeneration, welcomed the project.

He said: “I’m so pleased the council is able to announce that work will commence for the Portland Road scheme.

“It will see the street transformed into a vibrant and inclusive space with a lovely, clean design that allows easy use for all.

“Despite the many struggles the Covid-19 pandemic has presented, it has not slowed down the council’s plans to breathe new life into this area of Worthing.

“We have looked very carefully at all aspects of the new public realm to ensure the space is suitable for people to enjoy from day to night – from when the cafés open until the bars close in the early hours of the morning – once Government restrictions are lifted.”

Portland Road will be the first scheme of Worthing’s Growth Deal, a joint-project with the county council that plans to rejuvenate eight public realm spaces from the train station to the seafront over the next five to ten years.

The plan is to connect the street to other town centre areas through safe, well-lit spaces.

The space between Montague Street and Chandos Road will be pedestrianised with street furniture, including plenty of seating, plus lighting, trees and landscape planting.

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