Portland Road

About The Entry

Portland Road is located in the heart of Worthing’s town centre, a large pedestrianised shopping street with high footfall. The town's welcoming community and seaside setting contrasted with the grey ‘back of house’ feel of Portland Road’s public realm. It reflected an outdated view that side streets in town centres should be for parking and serve as access support for main shopping streets. This view creates unhealthy, unsafe and non-inclusive town centres, encouraging anti-social behaviours.

Worthing Borough Council commissioned us to review a previous concept design and develop the scheme further to better reflect the Council’s sustainability objectives. The ambition was to improve the environment for pedestrians and cyclists, supporting local businesses and creating an accessible route for all road users.

The scheme was delivered on the thorough understanding of the stakeholder’s aspirations, cost and time constraints. It included the implementation of a wider footway with high quality paving and a section closed off to traffic, which reduces car movement and creates a pleasant space for pedestrians. The increased footway space also eases the movement of older and vulnerable road users.

This space now encourages people to socialise and walk around the area, as well as giving nearby local businesses a new opportunity to spill out. The neutral-coloured granite benches and their wavy shapes complement the seaside location and provides plenty of seating throughout the site. New trees and local planting also provide shade, soften the public realm and increase biodiversity.

All interventions were designed to make Portland Road a healthier and more pleasant space for its community, also adding identity to the town centre. Portland Road is now a benchmark for inclusive design in Worthing and how to unlock potential for positive social interactions, economic growth, active travel and green infrastructure.

“Portland Road looks superb”

West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member, Steve Waight

“The team demonstrated great project management and communication. They met deadlines, and responded well to changes or additions requested by the client.”

Worthing Borough Council

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