Breaking ground at Union Gardens – and a new community pledge

On 22^nd June, we were delighted to hold the breaking ground ceremony at Union Gardens. Local dignitaries gathered – in hard hats and high-vis jackets, of course – to celebrate the official start of construction at the site in Worthing town centre.

The ceremony marked a special moment after many years of planning and negotiations. Situated between the High Street and the Connaught Theatre, the site has remained mostly vacant since the police station building was demolished in 2009. Planning permission was granted in March 2024, and preparatory works began early this year following our purchase of the plot from Worthing Borough Council.

Managing Director Ben Cheal shared a few words just before the ceremony: “We are delighted to officially begin work at Union Gardens and to celebrate this important milestone alongside our partners and guests. This is a hugely significant development for Worthing. After many years of the site sitting vacant, Union Gardens will deliver sustainable new homes, new public amenities and fresh investment into the town centre.

“We have carefully designed the scheme to create a thriving new neighbourhood that complements Worthing’s character while supporting its future growth. We look forward to working closely with the local community throughout the construction process.”

Union Gardens is set to transform one of Worthing’s most prominent undeveloped sites into a well-connected, vibrant new community, delivering 216 new homes, landscaped gardens, a new public car park, commercial space, and a number of live/work units fronting Worthing High Street.

As with all our developments, sustainability will also be central to the scheme, with the plans including enhanced insulation, biodiverse roofs and a proposed connection to the pioneering Worthing Heat Network. The residential buildings are expected to be completed from 2028 onwards.

Our new community pledge

At the ceremony, we were also thrilled to announce our new community initiative: we are pledging £36,000 in funding for local projects, to be delivered over Union Gardens’ expected 3-year construction period. Local groups and organisations can apply for funding by contacting Max Harbron at max@roffeyhomes.com.

We will be sharing recipients of funding over the coming weeks and months – so watch this space.

NEWS