Worthing College's plan to build homes (From The Argus)

Worthing College's plan to build homes

11:00am Saturday 23rd July 2011 in News By Tim Ridgway

Hundreds of new homes could be built on a college site to fund its £21 million relocation.

Worthing College, which has more than 1,700 students, claims it has outgrown its 1960s home and is planning to move into the former Norwich Union headquarters in the town.

To fund the move it has applied to build 265 properties on its current site in Bolsover Road, Worthing.

Opinion is split over whether the benefits to the town outweigh the additional traffic and noise that comes with such a large development.

Neighbour Linda van Bregt, of Melrose Avenue, Worthing, has objected, adding: “The development will dramatically negatively change the noise levels in the immediate vicinity.

“Traffic will become too much for roads to cope with.

“It will become impossible for traffic to exit onto The Boulevard and it will increase passing traffic in Melrose Avenue endangering residents going about their business.

“The attraction of living in the area is the feeling of open space.”

But school governor and Worthing borough councillor Hazel Thorpe said: “I am aware there are issues to be dealt with sensibly but I have every confidence in the management of the college to pursue the right path within their means.

“The immense opportunity for the town as a whole and the sustainability for both the town and the college I believe are of paramount importance.”

The college previously tried to fund a new college at the Bolsover Road site, which is near Durrington train station, by selling some of its land to Asda.

It also bid for government cash but both plans fell through.

Self-funding plans to take over the former Norwich Union building in The Warren, off Hill Barn Lane, Broadwater, were unveiled earlier this year.

The 18-acre site has stood empty since 2008 when Aviva, the firm's parent company, axed 600 jobs there.

But the new plans are reliant on Worthing Borough Council's planning committee agreeing the proposal by Surrey-based VRG Planning to turn its current home into a mixture of one to four bedroom properties surrounding a plot of open space.

A further 36 homes could also be built at The Warren.

Neighbours are currently being consulted on all three schemes and the college hopes to have permission by November.

Bosses anticipate moving into the new site next summer ahead of the 2012/3 academic year.