A residential development proposal has been filed with Worthing Borough Council concerning land previously occupied by a gasworks facility.

The application, submitted by Bellway Homes, seeks approval for 123 dwellings on the former Durrington Gasworks location along Martlets Way in Goring.

Alongside the housing, the scheme encompasses 2,348 square metres of retail or commercial accommodation, vehicle parking facilities, amenity landscaping, communal open areas and water management systems.

The land forms part of the broader Elizabeth Square regeneration initiative and is situated to the west of the former HM Revenue and Customs premises.

That adjacent site is presently under construction by Bellway, comprising 287 residential units as the initial stage of the Elizabeth Square project.

The gasworks location would constitute the second phase of the same regeneration programme.

Local planning policy designates the land for mixed-use development with employment uses as the primary focus.

Despite this allocation, the site has sat vacant for more than twenty years.

Various technical obstacles, unfavourable market circumstances and financial viability issues have prevented previous development attempts from proceeding.

Comprehensive economic assessments have determined that delivering a scheme primarily focused on commercial uses is not financially sustainable, with difficult trading conditions and substantial abnormal construction expenses cited as primary factors.

Bellway maintains that increasing the proportion of housing within the development is essential to make the project workable.

The proposed accommodation breakdown includes studio and one-bedroom apartments, one and two-bedroom flats and maisonettes, two-bedroom terraced houses, together with a limited quantity of three and four-bedroom family homes.

Commercial provision would occupy the western section of the site facing Martlets Way, taking the form of a single premises with accommodation across two floors.

Seventy parking bays would serve this commercial element.

The residential portion would occupy the remaining land area, with vehicle access from Sword Street to the east.

The layout incorporates a three-storey block of apartments, rows of terraced houses and two further apartment buildings.

Parking for residents would total 215 spaces, comprising 190 for occupants and 25 designated for visitors.

The scheme provides for 37 affordable dwellings, characterised within the planning submission as a meaningful contribution given that the borough has delivered only 17 affordable units since the beginning of 2024.

Worthing Borough Council is required to issue its determination on the application by the end of October.