Future of Worthing's Grafton Street car park under review after urgent closure

Worthing Borough Council is to consider whether the town’s Grafton Street multi-storey car park (MSCP) should remain closed, following a structural failure that led to its immediate shutdown earlier this month.

The car park was closed on Friday 16 May due to safety concerns after a substantial section of concrete fell from one of the High Alumina Cement (HAC) beams, despite not being previously identified as at risk. A report prepared for a joint cabinet meeting on 3 June highlights structural degradation due to age and exposure, with HOP Consulting engineers supporting the ongoing closure for public safety reasons.

The council is being asked to formally approve the continued closure of the car park and consider next steps for regenerating the site. £1.2 million was spent maintaining the structure in 2018/19, with a further £941,000 allocated since. Although nearby businesses remain unaffected, some pedestrian bridges and access routes are also being reviewed for potential closure. A full report on the site’s future is expected in July.