Gas Works

ECE Planning

ECE Planning was appointed by St William Homes to lead the planning strategy for the redevelopment of the former gasworks site at Park Road, Worthing – a prominent and technically constrained brownfield site in a highly sustainable location.

The commission began with a detailed planning appraisal to assess the site’s development potential and inform early discussions with Worthing Borough Council. This was followed by a structured pre-application process and a programme of public consultation to shape the emerging proposals.

A full planning application was submitted for a high-density residential scheme comprising 209 dwellings across buildings ranging from four to eleven storeys. The development included a landmark tower marking a key site frontage, with massing designed to respond sensitively to the surrounding context. ECE Planning coordinated all planning submissions, managed technical inputs, and worked closely with officers to ensure all matters were robustly addressed. The application was approved at Planning Committee.

ECE Planning subsequently led a complex Section 73 application to secure design amendments, including an additional storey to the principal tower (increasing its height to twelve storeys), refinements to building form and massing, and an uplift in the number of dwellings. This process was supported by further pre-application discussions and public engagement.

Alongside the application work, ECE Planning played a strategic role in influencing local policy. The team submitted detailed representations to the Worthing Local Plan and participated in the Examination, helping to secure the site’s allocation for residential development and amendments to policy wording to support deliverability and high-quality design.

ECE Planning led the process from feasibility to approval, securing a policy-compliant and commercially viable consent that delivers significant regeneration benefits.