Marine Place

Project overview

The site at 24 Marine Place, Worthing was most recently used as a youth hub and community facility, but had stood vacant for several years. Its disuse added to the growing challenge of underutilised property in Worthing’s town centre and seafront areas.

Worthing Borough Council identified the building as an opportunity to bring a redundant property back into productive use while conserving the architectural character of the seafront. Situated within the Worthing Seafront Conservation Area, the building required a sensitive approach to redevelopment. The Regency façade and key heritage features were carefully retained, and external alterations were kept to a minimum, with the focus instead placed on internal reconfiguration.

This project sits within the council’s wider programme to increase the supply of affordable housing and by converting the disused youth hub into five self-contained flats, a mix of studios and one-bedroom units the council is able to respond quickly to local housing needs while making efficient use of an existing structure.

Internally, the building was stripped back to its structural shell and redesigned to create modern, functional homes. Careful layout planning maximised natural light from front and rear windows, ensured efficient circulation in the compact floorplates, and integrated modern kitchens and bathrooms into each unit. All flats were designed in line with the Government’s Nationally Described Space Standards, guaranteeing minimum requirements for space, storage, and accessibility.

Sustainability was a central theme of the redevelopment. Retaining the existing building greatly reduced embodied carbon compared with a full demolition and rebuild, while upgrades to the fabric improved long-term efficiency. The scheme included improved insulation in the walls, floors, and roof, energy-efficient heating systems, double-glazed windows where permitted under conservation rules, and a complete re-roofing with enhanced thermal performance.

Beyond meeting housing demand, the scheme has wider community benefits. It secures external funding from Homes England and the Brownfield Land Release Fund, supports the local economy by bringing new residents into a central seafront location close to shops and public transport, and provides homes that will be let at genuinely affordable rents to local people on the housing register. By combining heritage-led conservation with modern housing standards, 24 Marine Place serves as a model for how councils can adapt redundant buildings to meet urgent social needs in a sustainable way.