Background
Project Centre transformed the heart of Worthing, Portland Road, into a vibrant and lively street, giving the space back to pedestrians, cyclists and visitors.
Worthing Borough Council and West Sussex County Council identified Portland Road as a pain point in the area. The town’s welcoming community and seaside context contrasted with the overlooked feel of Portland Road’s public realm. The street reflected poor traffic management, grey areas, and anti-social behaviour.
Our scheme placed Portland Road as the new local benchmark for the health and attractiveness of urban places. We merged inclusive design with environmental benefits.
Process
Our landscape and urban design team has worked with partners and stakeholders to reshape Portland Road’s public realm. Our designs included:
- Increasing cycle stands and footway space for pedestrians, to reduce air pollution, and encourage active travel
- Installing public art and energy-efficient street lighting, to incorporate history and identity into the public realm
- Introducing parking and traffic-calming elements
- Planting different species of trees and seating planters to increase biodiversity
- Enlarging footway space and seating areas to ease the movement of children and the elderly, and making it compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act
- Installing waymarking to ensure legibility and connectivity to the urban space
The impact of our urban space transformation
Project Centre transformed Portland Road through placemaking, creating an urban space where people want to live in.
We increased seating and footway space by 38%, making it safer and more inclusive for pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users. The choice of natural and durable stone materials increases the designs’ sustainability. By increasing biodiversity as well as reducing vehicle movement, the project also had a positive impact on lowering carbon emissions.
The success of this project delivery is proof of how well our project team managed the design elements but also the engagement with the clients and stakeholders. Our scheme was also silver winner at the London Design Awards 2023, which recognised our efforts in enhancing the public space through increasing biodiversity and placemaking.
Testimonials
“Portland Road looks superb and represents a significant investment in the town’s future, both for businesses to benefit as they recover from the pandemic and for the public to enjoy a renewed and welcoming quarter in Worthing.”
West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member, Steve Waight
“The team demonstrated good project management and communication. They met deadlines, which were often tight, and responded well to changes or additions requested by the client team.”
Worthing Borough Council