07-08-2025
Car park will be 'left to rot' for years
A councillor believes a car park will be 'left to rot' for years after it was revealed it will cost millions to reopen amid a lengthy process to find a developer to transform the site.
Engineers have concluded that the most basic set of repairs and renovation required to make Grafton multi-storey car park in Worthing safe to use would cost at least £17.1m.
The structure had to be closed in May after safety concerns about 'failing concrete'.
Councillor Sophie Cox, the leader of Worthing Borough Council, admitted the estimates for the work are 'far beyond' what the council can afford. The news also comes as the council relaunched a bid to find a developer to regenerate the land into housing.
Councillor Kevin Jenkins, leader of the Conservative group in Worthing, said the time involved in selling the Marine Parade site, the developer securing planning permission and then building on the land will 'undoubtedly see this site lay dormant and boarded up' for the next three to five years.
The site includes the 440-space multi-storey car park, Hollywood Bowl bowling alley, the Level 1 food and drink area, a small number of shops in Montague Street and access roads to neighbouring buildings, covering roughly the area of a football pitch. Leases to the shops from Clarks to Argos on the southern side of Montague Street have also been bought by the council.
Cllr Jenkins criticised the Labour administration, saying it was 'hard to believe that the council has allowed themselves to get into this situation' and said there is 'little doubt' that it will decide to permanently shut the car park.
He said the huge bill "comes as no surprise" and that it was known the concrete structure had a limited life.
Cllr Kevin Jenkins Conservative group leader (Image: Cllr Kevin Jenkins) 'The hard work on this site had been done and was given on a plate for them to take to market,' he said.
'The reality is that this closure should have been a 'planned closure' as a developer moved in to regenerate this site with a strong mixed use plan for housing, leisure and retail, finally joining Montague Street up with the lido and the seafront.
'Yet here we are with three years of lost opportunity and now a prime site on our seafront will be boarded up and left to rot even further.'
He referenced other sites in the town such as Teville Gate and Decoy Farm and said the town is missing out on 'so many opportunities for much needed new housing and employment'.
'Among all this we mustn't forget our hard pressed businesses in the town, who are working tirelessly to offer a great service to visitors and residents in, at times, harsh market conditions,' he continued.
'The good news is that with the refurbishment of the Buckingham Road car park and the new multi-storey car park at the civic centre, all commissioned by the previous Conservative administration anticipating the arrival of this day; Worthing is in a strong position to support its traders, residents and visitors with an abundance of car parking spaces available at these sites and of course the High Street MSCP.'
He encouraged people to support the town's independent traders.
Although Grafton is closed to the public, Hollywood Bowl, Level One and nearby shops remain open and safe to visit.
