Better to build than go to waste

I'm referring to the old police station site in Union Place, which is going to be demolished preparatory to a massive, eight-storey redevelopment.

It is proposed to build multi-storey flats, and some shops, on the land '” but two previous planning applications along these lines have been rejected by the borough council. A further application is awaited.

I mention Teville Gate, because that two-decade saga of frustrated development plans has produced an eyesore site which is still marring this northern gateway to Worthing.

As with Union Place, a further application is awaited.

And similarly, while an NCP car park now covers most of the former Teville Gate shopping area, a temporary car park is also proposed for the Union Place land '” although it won't be operated by NCP!

The Union Place project has been on the "To Do" list for several years now, and I'm just hoping that the credit crunch calamities won't delay an eventual start until well into this new century's second decade.

It has already become an eyesore site, with decaying and vandalised structures, overgrown vegetation, and it's welcome news this week that demolition plans have been revealed.

It's possible for some building schemes to get moving comparatively quickly. Whatever you think about plonking a huge McCarthy & Stone complex on the northern side of Union Place, you can't deny that they've got on with building the place.

And the same can be said for development progress on the site of the old Norfolk Hotel, opposite Teville Gate.

Tesco is another concern not known for hanging about once it thinks the time is right to put up another store.

I visited the existing West Durrington supermarket at the weekend and noted that a vast, adjacent area is securely fenced off to accommodate the proposed new superstore to the west.

Last week, one of our Australian readers wrote about the Herald's "strangely enthusiastic" story on Tesco's planned expansion.

Well, for a start, another 250 jobs in today's down-spiralling unemployment situation must be welcome news.

OK, they may not be the most aspirational jobs on offer in West Sussex, but if they help to pay the mortgage...

Our Aussie friend was also critical of another piece of greenfield land being swallowed up.

A fair enough point.

But it's not Tesco which is planning to build more than 800 homes on a vaste swathe of nearby land which is nearer to the valuable downland which he is, rightly, anxious to protect.

We are where we are, however, and the new Tesco store will be needed to cater for the area's increased population.

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