The key meeting which will decide the future of the Aquarena site in Worthing is to be held at 6.30pm on Tuesday 22nd September in the Assembly Rooms - a move which, it is hoped, will allow the greatest number of local residents the chance to be a part of planning the town’s future seafront profile.

Worthing Borough Council’s Planning Committee endorsed the move to the larger venue at their regularly scheduled meeting, held last night (22nd July) in Worthing’s Town Hall.  

Chair of the Planning Committee, Councillor Kevin Jenkins, said:

"I recognise that the future of our seafront has aroused a huge amount of passion in the community - with many people on each side of the debate over the future of the Aquarena site - and that more people than usual will want to come to this key meeting.

“The Planning Committee also anticipate that a large number of people will wish to speak at the meeting to share their thoughts.  As always, we want to accommodate as many of those requests as possible, which is why the Committee last night approved a suggestion to adopt a specific protocol for this meeting, one which will increase the number of speakers and the time available to each.”

During the debate, up to five people for and five people against the application will be able to speak, with the length of their speaking time extended to three minutes (giving a total of 30 minutes public speaking time on this application).  This is over and above the usual three speakers with two minutes each on both sides of the debate that the Planning Committee has been used to.

Since the number of people wishing to speak is anticipated to be more than can be accommodated during the allotted time, the Planning Committee endorsed a further proposal to ensure a ‘level playing field’ regarding the opportunity to speak.

Cllr Jenkins explains: 

"We are keen to ensure an open and transparent process is maintained throughout this debate and are trying to ensure that a representation of the wider public voice from across Worthing is heard on this matter.

“Those who have registered to speak will be chosen via a ballot system - each person or organisational representative will be given a unique number and on the 14th September the names of the registered speakers and some reserves will be selected by a random number generation process. 

“I recognise that for some this may not give them the opportunity to speak at the meeting that they may wish, but this method has been chosen in order to be fair to everyone, whatever their view on this application and wherever they live in Worthing.

“This seems a fair, open and transparent way of selecting the speakers and ensures that everyone starts from the same level playing field of opportunity."    

Registration for the opportunity to speak to the Planning Committee is now open, and anyone wishing to do needs to contact the Council by 12 noon on Friday 11th September. 

To register, members of the community should email democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk or call 01903 221006.  Any person who has previously contacted Worthing Borough Council to inquire about speaking on this matter will be added to the list.  

Those who have been selected to speak or identified as a reserve speaker will be notified as soon after the 14th September as possible.

Any questions about the planning application should be directed to the Planning Services team or researched on the planning portal on Worthing Borough Council’s website here:

http://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/