Millions of pounds could be pumped into a town's leisure facilities if civic leaders approve the sale of two prime seafront sites to developers.

Developers hope a new leisure and shopping centre on Worthing's seafront would give it a "wow factor" and attract investment.

Councillors will have a behind-closed-doors meeting on Monday to discuss selling off two sites on the seafront, the Grafton site and a plot at the corner of Sea Place and Eirene Road in Goring.

The borough council has received bids for both sites which could generate up to £15 million.

Leisure officials believe the land sales would pay for a new swimming pool at Teville Gate, where a derelict Seventies shopping centre was recently demolished, to replace the ageing Aquarena complex in Brighton Road.

The Grafton site, including a multi-storey car park and tenpin bowling alley, is widely regarded to be the biggest eyesore in Worthing.

Developers want to demolish the buildings from Marine Parade to Montague Street to make way for luxury flats and shops but the existing Marks & Spencer department store would remain.

Council leader Keith Mercer said: "We want to have a building in Worthing that makes people stop and say wow'.

"I never want it to be like Brighton. I want to learn from Brighton's mistakes and make it better than Brighton."

He said investors were already pouring into the town from London, bringing extra cash and boosting the economy. He was also considering allowing developers to build a marina.

Business leaders and people living near the sites have welcomed the plans.

Roy Stannard, chairman of Worthing First, a group of 80 business leaders being consulted over the redevelopment, said: "Worthing needs to have a coherent vision for where it is going during the next ten or 15 years. Piecemeal developments don't work."

He said the Grafton site development would bring quality retailers to the town, drawing shoppers away from traffic-choked Brighton and Hove.

Valerie Gough, 67, of Augusta Place, lives a stone's throw from the Grafton site. She said: "It's a real eyesore at the moment the car park is an ugly old place. As long as they don't build any more nightclubs or fast food restaurants I'll be happy.

"A leisure complex would be very welcome we've needed something like that for a long time."

A planning application for Teville Gate is expected in November.

The plot at the corner of Sea Place and Eirene Road, Goring, has been earmarked for housing, leisure facilities catering for watersports enthusiasts and possibly a medical centre.

Friday, June 17, 2005