Couple voice concern over development

Sue and Alberto Lazzarini, of Grand Avenue, Worthing, moved into their home in March to spend their retirement by the coast.

But since discovering that developer Roffey Homes intends to build a block of 36 flats, ranging from three storeys to 11 storeys in height, the peaceful nature of that retirement as been thrown into jeopardy.

Mrs Lazzarini, 68, said: “We spent a fortune on doing this house up and now we are going to have another building outside our door.

“It’s going to make a heck of a difference to us. It was absolutely out of the blue. We had no idea, otherwise we wouldn’t have purchased the house.

“I certainly can’t sell the property at the moment because no-one would want to buy it or we would have to do it at a big loss. We are just stuck. We chose to move here, we didn’t choose to move to a builder’s yard.

“The reason we chose this road is because it’s such a lovely, elegant road. To have a skyscraper next door is ridiculous.

“Grand Avenue is meant to be one of the nicest roads, it’s just scandalous.”

While she accepted the existing site did need to be developed, Mrs Lazzarini said she would rather see ‘a lovely block of flats there’.

Two of the main concerns held by the Lazzarinis are the overlooking of their home as well as a loss of daylight due to the height of the build.

However, Ben Cheal, managing director of Roffey Homes, said any windows on the north side of the development would have obscure glazing. He added that the light was tested at times of the day when the sun was lower, so daylight and sunlight would ‘be a lot better’ during the key hours of concern, primarily between 11.30am and 2.30pm.

Phil Abbot, of West Parade, and David Clark, of Grand Avenue, have been campaigning for residents to object to the plans.

Leaflets distributed to surrounding residents cite the development’s design, car parking pressures, health and safety, overlooking and privacy, and the loss of the existing home on the site as key reasons for objection.

Mr Abbot said: “You think they would make a statement and have a really nice building on the seafront. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up looking like Benidorm.”