Plans to rebuild 170-year-old Worthing bell tower following water damage

The prominent building at School Yard, in Portland Road, was converted into flats in 2013 but has since suffered water damage.

Water has been entering flats to the front of the building through the bell tower for several years which has caused ‘substantial internal damage’.

Now the owner wants to deconstruct and rebuild the damaged bell tower and replace it with a like-for-like replica.

This is different to demolition as the process aims to reuse as many of the existing materials as possible.

It is hoped that reconstructing the upper part of the tower will stop water from getting in.

Surveyors from Focus Consulting, which inspected the 170-year-old building, said: “The proposals will see the structure of the property protected whilst remaining in keeping with the surrounding area and historic construction.”

The surveyor said there is ‘clearly a need to rebuild the upper section’ as water leaks are ‘threatening the integrity of the building and damaging the

internal decorations’.

Similar plans were submitted in 2014 but the work was not carried out at the time.

Further details of the plans can be found at the council’s planning portal using reference: AWDM/1879/21.