Worthing health hub’s £34million budget signed off

Work on the centre, on the town hall car park site in Stoke Abbott Road, is scheduled to start this summer and be completed in spring 2023.

It will bring the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Coastal West Sussex CCG, Worthing Medical Group and Paydens Pharmacy together on one site.

A six-storey car park will also be built, providing space for 186 vehicles.

During a meeting of the full council on Tuesday (April 20), leader Daniel Humphreys said he took ‘absolute delight’ in recommending the budget be released.

He added: “This is a fantastic project for us, for regeneration and for the community, particularly around Worthing town centre, but for the borough as a whole.

“Not least a lot of the local businesses who will benefit from [when] the car park opens up for the town.”

There was unanimous support from the rest of the council.

Carl Walker (Lab, Selden) said: “This is absolutely fantastic. As anybody who has worked in and around health will know, the importance of integrated care is huge.”

The work will include the demolition of the Central Clinic, which will be temporarily housed in a prefabricated building in the Liverpool Gardens car park.

The entire project will be funded by the council through loans, which will then be recouped through rent and income.

The costs include £24,297,770 for construction of the care centre, £5,895,610 for construction of the car park, and £2,828,520 in fees and interest payments. 

The sites are expected to bring in a total of £1,684,250 each year.

A council spokesman said: “We’re pleased to be working with partners on bringing forward the Worthing Integrated Care Centre and we’re confident work will begin this summer.

“The facilities will improve the way residents receive care for many years to come – something we know will be very much welcomed by all.”