Bridging the gap

I READ a recent article in the Herald (February 25) regarding a plan to fill in a "200-year-old gap" in a terrace at Steyne Gardens after the original builder went bankrupt before he could complete the project, so now his dream could be fulfilled.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Mar 2010, 12:37 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 01:30 BST

Reading the article, you would assume the owner of the property was applying for planning permission so that he himself would be fulfilling this dream of this builder, who has now been long gone, and he would be doing the residents of Worthing a favour.

It would appear this is not the case, since the house in question was previously on the market for 1 million and now the planning permission has been granted, the house is back on the market for 2 million.

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I also noticed in the Herald the same week that planning permission has been refused for the Sandhurst School site for this to be converted into just four homes, three of them flats, as it would be an "unduly cramped and unsympathetic" development which would spoil the look of the area.

The Steyne Gardens site has been given the go-ahead to convert the house into three two-bedroom flats and one two-bedroom maisonette, whilst the 25-yard gap (the garden at present) will have eight three-bedroom apartments.

How will this not be "unduly cramped"?

And what about the parking for the residents of these 12 new flats, when there are already two hotels along the Steyne with guests, who I'm sure struggle to park?

The residents of Worthing are not stupid and I feel extremely let down by the council to think they can pull the wool over our eyes when this was clearly a case of lining someone's already fat pockets and nothing at all to do with fulfilling the original builder's dream.

Mark Withey

Salisbury Road

Worthing