'We want to make a Copenhagen-on-Sea in Worthing'

The first phase of a multi-million pound project to create a low carbon heat network in Worthing has been completed.

Work began on the Worthing Heat Network in July 2024 and it is now supplying several of the town's larger buildings including the Town Hall and Connaught Theatre.

The system works with a large energy centre next to the Guildbourne Centre, which feeds hot water through underground pipes across the town.

Developer Hemiko said the next phase, which starts in March, will provide heating for Splashpoint Leisure Centre and the Pavilion Theatre.

Joseff Reed, senior external affairs manager for Hemiko, said: "Instead of every building burning their own gas to generate their heat, we generate it locally and centrally. That's more efficient, cheaper and cleaner for the whole town.

"We want to make a Copenhagen-on-Sea here in Worthing. Denmark and other Scandinavian countries have benefited from this system for decades."

The plant in the town centre works by extracting heat from the outside air, even in winter, to heat water which is then circulated through a network of insulated pipes to provide heating and hot water.

More than 2km (1.24 miles) of pipe have been installed underground around the town centre and Hemiko said it has invested £3.8 million so far.

Hemiko said that phase one will save 3,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, the equivalent to taking around 2,000 cars off the road.

Phase two starts in March and will see underground drilling with a robot that digs a borehole underground, and then 100m sections of pipe will be fed through.

The company said the drilling should cause less disruption than phase one.

Some businesses said roads being dug up caused disruption and reduced footfall to the Guildbourne Shopping Centre.

Samantha Whittington, owner of Sewsilver in the shopping centre, said she thought phase one could have been "managed better" but was delighted that phase two "would not be so disruptive".

In terms of footfall in the whole town centre, there were 67,000 more visitors between July and September last year compared to the same period in 2024, according to a Worthing Borough Council footfall report.

Hemiko said it has listened to feedback about the impact of roadworks on traffic and its method of drilling for phase two will allow traffic to continue flowing.

Joseff Reed added: "We're really keen now to learn lessons from the previous phase and deliver an even stronger next phase of works."

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