Teville Gate: Worthing's 'biggest eyesore' could be transformed into major housing development

Teville Gate – often considered to be Worthing’s ‘biggest eyesore’ – is earmarked for a minimum of 250 homes in Worthing’s local plan but has been under-used for many years.

Worthing Borough Council has revealed it will team up with national housing and regeneration agency Homes England to ‘transform Teville Gate for the community’ and create ‘urgently-needed sustainable new homes’.

On Tuesday night (September 12), the council’s cabinet agreed to proposals to sell the derelict site to the UK Government’s housing and regeneration agency so it can be transformed using government funding.

Caroline Baxter, Worthing’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “Teville Gate is a key site in the town for regeneration. It has sat derelict despite multiple historic plans and promises for development.

“It’s vital that we act now to harness the huge potential of the land with an exciting, sustainable vision to benefit the whole community.”

The contract for the sale of the land could be completed by the end of the year, once Homes England has ‘completed its due diligence’ and obtained approvals on the arrangement.

The council is seeking a minimum of 250 homes to be built on the site in a ‘modern, sustainable development’ that is ‘environmentally-friendly’.

Mrs Baxter added: “Homes England can really kick-start this key site by securing a development for the benefit of the whole community.

“We will be seeking to ensure that the new scheme includes a mix of homes including social housing and homes for sale which genuinely benefit people from our local area who may otherwise have to live in other areas outside Worthing.

“There have been too many false starts at Teville Gate. This is our chance to regenerate this important site with new homes, new hope and new vitality for our town.”

The council wants the site to be used for both new homes that will be available for local residents to buy and for social housing to help those on Worthing’s register who need somewhere to live.

Currently more than 350 local people are having to be housed by the council outside the borough ‘because of a lack of accommodation for them’.

Homes England will now work with the council to design a scheme and identify a development partner for the project, as well as potential tenants for any planned commercial units on the site.

Council leader Beccy Cooper said: “We approved it to go forward. It’s a negotiation so it’s not been agreed with Homes England yet. We think it’s good news but it’s early days. It’s not a done deal yet.”

A contract for the sale of Teville Gate could be completed ‘by the end of the year’, the council said.

Ken Glendinning, Homes England’s director for acquisitions and partnering, said: “We are pleased to be working with the council to help unlock potential investment in Teville Gate. This housing-led regeneration will be supported by the recently launched Brownfield Infrastructure Fund.

“This will enable local economic growth and long-term housing supply. Homes England’s aspirations for quality design and place-making aligns with the council’s aspirations for green space and encouraging active travel in the delivery of this key stalled development site.”

The council said it will also work with HMRC to find new parking spaces for those who currently use the temporary car park to the north of the Teville Gate site – which will form part of the redevelopment.

Currently the council leases land to the north of Teville Gate for 50 parking spaces for HMRC staff.