Residents pose tough questions over future use of Manor Sports Ground

Worthing Borough Council say they have not granted permission to Bohunt Educational Trust for outright use of the Manor Sports Ground, when the new 900-pupil school is built in Broadwater Road next year.

But residents were concerned by conflicting information in Bohunt’s prospectus, which suggested the school would have access to the ground.

Speaking after a heated meeting at the Queen Street Community Church, in Queen Street, Worthing, BET chief executive Neil Strowger said: “We have always acted in good faith.

“We have to discuss the issue with the community. It’s really positive to see local people so passionate about their community.”

Mr Strowger told residents that there would need to be management of the sports ground, should the school be granted any form of use of the site.

“We can’t run a PE lesson and have a dog running through the middle of it,” he said.

“We need to have some sort of management containment. We are not saying we have to annexe the whole thing.”

Residents have set up the Manor Action Group, in a bid to fight any restricted access to the ground, used by sports groups and dog walkers daily.

The meeting was also a chance to discuss the future of the Queen Street car park, which could also be used by the new school.

For the full story, see the Herald, out Thursday, October 30.