A former college campus could be turned into a major police hub. Sussex Police wants to relocate from its current site at Centenary House in Worthing to Northbrook College’s campus in Broadwater. The site, in Broadwater Road, was put up for sale earlier this year ahead of its merger with the college’s West Durrington campus.
Last year, Andrew Green, chief executive of the Chichester College Group which runs the college, said the decision was made to shut the campus because of soaring costs and the “inefficiency” of having three large sites in the town. Courses which are currently delivered at the Broadwater campus will be taught at other Chichester College Group campus sites in the Worthing area including the West Durrington campus and at Worthing College. The premises will continue to be occupied as a college until September 2025.
Sussex Police are currently co-located with West Sussex County Council at Centenary House. However, the council is disposing of the land for the development of 250 homes and requires the police to relocate to a smaller part of the site on retained land in Sussex Police’s ownership. Planning documents submitted to Worthing Borough Council for the change of the college site’s use said the force had considered refurbishing the existing buildings at Centenary House for the 300 staff located at the base but that the buildings “do not lend themselves to being easily converted”, would be costly and “of insufficient size” for staff.
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