Worthing Integrated Care Centre still not safe for NHS to move into

The Worthing Integrated Care Centre remains closed more than a year after it was due to open, with ongoing issues meaning the building is still not considered safe for NHS services to move in.

The centre, built on a former car park in Stoke Abbott Road, had originally been expected to open in January last year. However, problems including the presence of Legionella bacteria in the water supply and a fault in the building’s water system have delayed its opening.

Worthing Borough Council said the issues are still being addressed by construction firm Galliford Try, which has taken back control of the water system until it can be confirmed as fully safe and operational.

The project, which began planning in 2017, is now forecast to cost more than £45 million and will be funded through council borrowing over the next 60 years. Council leader Sophie Cox said the authority was working to open the building but described the scheme as a significant financial risk inherited from a previous administration. The council is also pursuing compensation for delays through a contractual process while legal advisers work to recover costs linked to the project’s setbacks.