IT would be fair to say that a majority of Worthing residents don't worry too much over the town's core planning strategy.
But they do note what's happening in their road, especially when the area's character is altered drastically by new blocks of flats.
A root cause of such situations is tackled in the borough council's current consultation on the local development
framework (LDF); namely, an imbalance in the number of flats being built compared with houses.
There is a relatively low stock of larger properties available on the open market and Worthing has seen a significant number of family homes lost through redevelopment in recent years.
The LDF has to comply with the South East Plan, which requires Worthing to deliver a minimum of 4,000 additional dwellings (net) between 2006 and 2026 at an annual average rate of 200 dwellings a year.
The Herald supports the council view that while flats, particularly in the town centre, have a valid role in meeting housing need, these should not make up the principal type of new housing across the borough.
There are 2,300 names on the local housing register, and flats are not the answer for families seeking somewhere with a garden to help provide children with a healthier upbringing.
This issue is not just confined to Worthing borough.
In Adur, for example, work to build hundreds of flats on the eastern side of Shoreham Beach is all but complete.
And the Shoreham Harbour regeneration project includes plans to build up to 10,000 homes at the port, with the emphasis mainly on flats.
Worthing's strategy aims to maximise delivery of an appropriate range of affordable houses, much of it through the proposed West Durrington development.
Hopefully, local strategies will be boosted by this week's government announcement of an extra £1.5billion to be spent on social housing over the next two years. And don't forget the gardens, Gordon!
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