Exciting, desirable, viable: Teville Gate’s future to go to public consultation in November 2017

* Mosaique, owners of Teville Gate, announce an imminent public consultation for the future of the site
* After two years of investment to create a viable vision for Worthing’s northern quarter, cranes may potentially be on the skyline by the second half of 2018
* A mixture of commercial, residential and leisure offerings will create a vibrant, bustling community which will become the South Coast’s most sought after residential address on completion in 2020.

“Our commitment to Worthing and to our vision for Teville Gate is absolute,” says Aized Sheikh, CEO of Mosaique.

“For two years, we have kept our heads down and worked tirelessly to overcome obstacles both above and below the ground, focusing on creating a genuinely viable, deliverable, scheme for Teville Gate. We will be throwing the covers from our designs and asking for the community’s feedback early in November.

“We have invested heavily in Worthing because we see its potential as a rising star on the South Coast. I am absolutely confident that we have the vision and proposals for an exciting, desirable and realistic development on this important site.”

A number of national brands have expressed genuine interest in being part of Teville Gate’s future.  Impressed by the overall vision for the site and inspired by Worthing’s potential, household names have already signed pre-let agreements for commercial, retail and leisure units.  The confidence in Teville Gate’s future is likely to grow further, thanks to Worthing Borough Council’s £1.5million investment into demolishing the car park.

Mosaique are currently leading the development of over 1,000 new homes in the South East, accompanied by cultural destinations and heritage preservation projects.  The company’s owners have significant experience in the investment and property industries, using their track record to excite and inspire national interest in the Teville Gate development.

Details of the public consultations will be made available through the local media by the first week of October.  Within the next few weeks, a new website will be launched, exploring the vision for Teville Gate and inviting the community to have their say on the future homes, commercial spaces and leisure opportunities that the development will bring.

After the latest announcement Cllr Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “We welcome this announcement from Mosaique and look forward to seeing their initial plans for this key gateway to Worthing

“As a council we remain committed to following through on our plan to demolish the existing multi-storey car park which we believe will act as a catalyst for the wider development for the Teville Gate site and we hope that Mosaique will see this as an opportunity for them to demolish the other buildings on the site."

Ropetackle Business Friends Reception

Invitation

We would like to invite you to a reception at Ropetackle Arts Centre on Thursday 26^th October at 6pm, to mark the launch of our exciting new Business Friends scheme.

I attach details of the scheme, which is open for membership now.

We are delighted to be joined by several key speakers at the reception, including:

• Tim Loughton MP
• Andrew Comben (CEO of Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival)
• Alex Bailey (Chief Executive Adur-Worthing Councils)
• Rodney Lunn (CEO Shoreham Port Authority)

The reception is kindly supported by Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce.

RSVP to: ropetacklebusinessfriends@gmail.com

A request for support.

As part of our 2016 funding negotiations, Adur Council commissioned an ‘economic impact’ report which showed that expenditure in the local economy, by those attending Ropetackle, amounts to c£900,000 per year, in addition to the range of other benefits which Ropetackle provides to the area and the community.

In relation to our 2018 bid, the Council requires additional evidence of Ropetackle’s value.

We are hoping therefore, to get some statements of support from local businesses, yourselves included. In particular, we would love to hear whether you feel Ropetackle is a valuable asset to the local area and economy, and, if your business derives any direct or indirect benefit from it.

Can I ask you therefore, if you would kindly complete the attached short questionnaire, and return it to Ropetackle Centre, or alternatively, complete it online at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2WNQD93

I very much look forward to welcoming you to Ropetackle, and to our new community of Business Friends.

Martin Allen
Chairman – The Ropetackle Trust

Click here to download the ROPETACKLE - Business Friends Prospectus 2017

Associate Tax Director Appointed at MHA Carpenter Box

Andrew Neuman has been appointed as an Associate Director in the Tax Services Group at Gatwick and Worthing-based chartered accountants and chartered tax advisers, MHA Carpenter Box.

Andrew’s accountancy career commenced in Crawley in 2004 with national accountancy firm Baker Tilly, where he trained and specialised in tax, becoming a Chartered Tax Adviser in 2007. He led their Corporate Tax Team, gaining a detailed knowledge across a broad range of tax areas.

Andrew will work from the Gatwick office of MHA Carpenter Box and will help to lead the tax advisory function, helping both business and personal clients to be as tax-efficient as possible. Whether helping finance teams or business owners Andrew’s local knowledge and wide experience of tax planning means that he can give comprehensive advice that is really joined up.

Andrew explains: “I have always worked in the area and since they opened their Gatwick office in 2015, I’ve become familiar with the fact that MHA Carpenter Box is a forward-thinking firm which enjoys a great reputation. Its large client base spans many sectors and the firm has a refreshing client-friendly approach to doing business. I am very much looking forward to having the time to build strong client relationships and before advising them on the best tax-efficient solutions as they grow and prosper.”

Andrew lives and grew up in East Grinstead. Outside of work he has recently put aside his passion for playing cricket and has turned his hand to playing golf – “very badly” he added. 

Late availability - exhibition space at Colonnade House, Worthing!

Colonade have unexpectedly had late cancellations for exhibitions that were due to be held in October and November this year for these dates: 

9-23rd October - main gallery only

6-20th November - both galleries

Colonnade House has a great reputation for showing a wide variety of work by artists and craftspeople and we have exhibition bookings well into 2018, so if you want to take advantage of this opportunity to exhibit in our town centre gallery - get in touch! 

We would also be interested in enquiries to run short-term or one-off day time or evening events such as book or project launches, fundraising events, networking sessions, training events, or just space to try out an idea ....  if there is something you'd like to run at Colonnade House please get in touch discuss your idea.

Tel: 01903 221142
Email: clare.halstead@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Get Active scheme can help you boost your health in body and mind 

People are being urged to Get Active as part of a new programme aimed at encouraging and supporting the community improve their health in body and mind.

Delivered by Adur & Worthing councils, the aim is to give people a taste of exercise with a series of friendly, accessible and cost-effective courses in a range of activities.

Taking place over eight weeks, the programme is aimed at those who are not currently taking part in more than one hours worth of moderate intensity physical exercise a week.

After building up the intensity over two months, the aim is for people to continue to keep active once the course finishes.

More than 200 people have completed the courses in recent years.

With figures showing that both Adur (27.8 per cent) and Worthing (25.1 per cent) have a higher level of obese adults than the national average (24.1 per cent), those behind the classes believe there’s never been a more important time for people to sign up for the classes. 

Councillor Dave Simmons, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “No matter how young or old you are, regular physical activity helps you feel fit, relaxed, gives you more energy and helps protect you against a range of diseases. A small change in your weekly routine can make all the difference - and that’s where Get Active can help.”

Councillor Val Turner, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “Get Active has a real track record of helping people start off on the path to improving their health. With the classes being fun, accessible and cheap, there really is no excuse for people not to give this a try.”

Funded by Public Health England, Get Active sees classes take place across Adur and Worthing. Numbers are restricted to small groups with everyone encouraged to go at their own pace, with the aim of gradually building up fitness

Those people who want to sign up need to fill in an online form or call the wellbeing team.

After setting goals and deciding on which course is right for them, participants are asked to pay a £10 deposit before their first session. If they attend at least six out of the eight weekly classes then this fee is refunded

The courses, a new round of which are starting this month, include:

·  Moving on up course including exercise classes aimed at the over 50

·  Walking football

·  Couch to 5k

·  Three step gym course

·  Multi activity course

·  Zumba in the circuits 

Radical town hall plan to demolish Worthing multi-storey could be key to unlocking major development

A major eyesore earmarked for development for more than decade is set to be demolished as part of a pioneering plan from Worthing Borough Council.

For more than ten years, the Teville Gate multi-storey car park and the surrounding area has been identified as a prime plot for new homes and commercial space.

With demand for parking on the site decreasing and running costs increasing, the local authority will release the funds needed to kickstart the plan to demolish the 1960s multi-storey.

Officials said the move had the added incentive of encouraging the freeholder Mosaic to consider demolishing the other buildings on the site and then submitting more formal redevelopment plans - meaning it was a “positive step forward” in creating a new gateway to Worthing.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “For too many years, there has been false hope after false hope around this site.

“To get to this stage has required some really detailed and delicate behind-the-scenes negotiations but I’m confident that it delivers a strong and very visible message that we are committed to regenerating the town.

“I know I will not be the only one pleased to see the back of this eyesore car park. Once demolished I believe it will generate real momentum in bringing forward this complex but very important gateway scheme.”

Agreement was reached on the move at a meeting of Adur & Worthing Councils’ Joint Strategic Committee last night (Tuesday September 12).

Councillors heard that the current multi-storey car park has significant maintenance issues, requiring an investment of £2 million over the next four years to keep it fully open.

With a section of the car park now closed due to a drop in demand, the 114 spaces still available are rarely filled.

Last night councillors agreed to release £60,000 towards consultancy costs and erecting hoardings around the car park site, which links Worthing’s main railway station with the town centre.

The £1.6 million demolition cost is set to be funded from the Local Growth Fund provided by the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

In order to ensure the long-term lease remains active and income is still generated for the council, a replacement 100-capacity surface car park will be built in its place.

The small number of people with existing car parking season tickets for the site will be offered a refund for the time left or transfer their permit to High Street car park.

Town hall officials confirmed last night that agreement had been reached with the freeholder Mosaic to push ahead with the demolition plan, with work potentially starting in the coming months.

Councillors were also informed that a planning application by the owners of the site for a redevelopment of the area could be submitted by the end of the year. 

A27 OFFICIAL RESPONSE SET TO TELL HIGHWAYS ENGLAND: BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

The Government is set to be sent the clearest message yet that its proposals for the upgrade of the A27 at Worthing and Lancing are inadequate.

It is proposed that Highways England be told its plan does not provide any significant improvement to congestion, journey times nor air pollution levels.

An official report to be discussed by leaders of both Adur and Worthing Councils, which could form the authorities’ submission to the consultation on the road scheme proposed by Highways England, does not pull its punches.

It points out that the proposal, for upgrades at six junctions, does not even meet the scope of the government’s original plan for the entire A27 in West Sussex which called for an option of full dualling of the road through Worthing. No such option was proposed when Highways England unveiled its plans last month.

Since that time the leader of Worthing Borough Council, Cllr Dan Humphreys, and his counterpart at Adur District Council, Cllr Neil Parkin have led the fight against the proposals.

Both have called the consultation a “sham” and urged it to be halted to allow more options to be included rather than just one “take or leave” it £69m plan.

Now the report, written for consideration at the Joint Strategic Committee(JSC) of Adur & Worthing Councils next Tuesday seeks to officially frame that response also pointing out that the proposal will not help the A27 cope with the government’s target for house building in the sub-region. Nor, says the report, will it support economic growth in the area.

It also insists Highways England needs to look at the A27 across West Sussex as one project rather than a series of consultations.

And it points out the one option presented to Adur and Worthing is in “stark contrast” to the multiple options at far higher cost handed to both Chichester and Arundel.

The proposal for Adur and Worthing, says the report, may make a one per cent improvement in travel times during peak rush hour but this would be offset by the exact same increase in travel time off peak caused by an increase in traffic lights.

Under the one proposal currently on the table modest improvements to six junctions between Durrington Hill and the Lancing Manor roundabout are proposed which would cut up to three minutes from journey times and, according to Highways England’s own scoring system would deliver “no significant benefit.”

The JSC will decide on whether to endorse the report on Tuesday night.

· Leader of Worthing Borough Council, Cllr Dan Humphreys told a packed joint meeting of the  Findon Valley and High Salvington Resident Associations on Tuesday night that Highways England plans for the A27 were simply not good enough. He repeated his claim that the consultation was a sham and called for more options to be put on the table.