Planning Policy

The planning system provides society with a method of controlling how we use land. Policies help govern what we build, how we build it and where it is built. 

It is the role of all Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s) to produce a range of documents containing planning policies and guidance for the location and design of development within their area.  The system helps manage development to ensure it is done so in line with what the town requires and helps ensure all that development is sustainable. Planning policies set a precedent for issues such as building design, accessible transport and environmental improvements.

A brief summary of the various policy documents produced by this section can be found below. For more detailed information and copies of the documents themselves, please follow the links from the navigation on the left.

Local Plan

Preceding the Local Development Framework, Worthing’s Local Plan provided the main planning framework for the Borough. It included specific policies to control the location and design of development within the Borough and to protect its heritage and local character. The Plan also proposed land allocations for the borough’s future housing, retail and recreation needs.  While the local plan sets detailed planning policies, wider planning strategies for the South East were set by national and regional policies such as the West Sussex Structure Plan, 2001-2016.

Adopted in September 2003, the Worthing Local Plan was the basis on which all development control decisions were made, therefore if an application was submitted which was clearly contrary to the Local Plan, it would have been unlikely to be granted approval.

The adopted Local Plan covered the period from September 2003 to September 2007. The Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 made provision for existing Local Plan Policies to remain in force for three years following commencement of the Act. This three year period elapsed on the 27th September 2007, therefore the Worthing Local Plan 2003 is no longer applicable to the Borough in its entirety. A list of ‘Saved Polices’ from the plan which will be used to determine planning applications until the adoption of the Worthing Core Strategy can be viewed on our Worthing Local Plan pages.

Local Development Framework

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 introduced major changes to the way the planning system operates. The new regulations require that Local Plans be replaced by a portfolio of more flexible documents known as the Local Development Framework (LDF). The main objective of the changes was to make the planning system more robust, to react quickly to the changing needs of the community. It also aimed to ensure documents were produced with a greater level of community involvement. 

The new system operates on two tiers. At a regional level, the South East Regional Assembly has responsibility for preparing a Regional Spatial Strategy. This strategy determines how many homes are needed to meet future needs in the region, as well as major development opportunities to support the region in areas such as education, transport, and employment growth.

The second tier is at a local level, where the Local Planning Authority is responsible for the production of a series of Local Development Documents (LDD’s) which set out the spatial planning strategies and development sites for the Borough up to 2016. For more information on each of these documents, please visit our Local Development Framework pages.

Conservation Areas

Conservation Areas are designated because they are areas of special architectural or historic interest which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. There are 26 Conservation areas throughout Worthing Borough, details of which can be found on the Conservation Area page.

An elecronic map containing these area boundaries is also available on the Local Plan Proposal Map using Discover Worthing.

Listed Buildings

A listed building is a building of special architectural or historic interest which is included on a statutory register called the ‘Statutory List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest’. This list is drawn up by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Consent is required for any works to a listed building that would affect its character. There are also more stringent policies applying to the development of Listed Buildings.

To view a the list of buildings within Worthing that have listed status please see our Listed Buildings page.

Transport Planning Policy

West Sussex County Council is the highway authority responsible for the majority of roads within the Borough, therefore our main involvement in transport issues relates to the cycle strategy for Worthing and liaison on public transport issues. We also play an important role in ensuring that new development is designed to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport and Green Travel Plans are encouraged for all major new development. For more information on transport policy, please visit our Transport Planning Policy Pages

Worthing Regeneration (Masterplan)

The Worthing Masterplan provides a vision of how we intend the Borough to develop over the next 15 to 20 years. Formally adopted by the Borough Council in December 2006, it is now in its final stages of consultation.  The four key areas covered by the Masterplan, include

• The Seafront Strategy
• The Public Realm Strategy
• The Civic & Cultural Hub
• The Retail Strategy

The planning policy department work very closely with the Worthing Regeneration team to ensure the proposed vision complements the Spatial Strategy outlined in the Worthing LDF.

For further information on the Worthing Masterplan, please see the Worthing Regeneration website.

Contacts

If you have any queries or questions please contact us via:

• Email: shpgroup@worthing.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01903 221451

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