Sustainable Worthing council accommodation wins design award
Released: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Our latest new council accommodation has won an award for its innovative design.
Local residents in need of somewhere to live have moved into 11 energy-efficient homes built for us on the site of the old RAF Air Cadets prefab in Victoria Road.
The Tempest Court flats have been built to Passivhaus standards, which means they are so well constructed, insulated and ventilated that they need very little energy to heat or cool. This means the new tenants have far lower fuel bills than they would have in traditional homes.
Now the development has won the Large Scale Residential category in the Sussex Heritage Awards and been Highly Commended in the Best Eco Project category.
Judges said they were impressed by the thought, time and effort put into the ECE Architecture-designed building, in particular how it fitted with the heritage of the conservation area.
Explaining their decision, the judges said:
“Through 'no-dig' construction around protected trees and a commitment to all-electric systems, Victoria Road proves that climate-resilient architecture can be both technically rigorous and profoundly generous, offering residents a calm, robust, and permanent sanctuary at their moment of greatest need.”
The quality of workmanship and site management at the development, which was built by West Sussex-based Sunninghill Construction, has also been recognised with a Site Recognition Award by national insurer LABC Warranty.
The homes were built so that families from Worthing who were having to be housed by us outside the borough could move closer to their friends and relatives, their jobs and their children's schools. It was completed in January 2026, on time and on budget.
Councillor Sophie Cox, Worthing's cabinet member for housing, said:
“Our Victoria Road homes are a wonderful example of how new homes can be highly-sustainable, beautiful and affordable to live in, all at the same time.
“They have helped us to bring Worthing residents back to their town - part of our commitment as a council for the community to do everything we can to tackle the housing crisis gripping our area.”
There are around 2,500 households on the housing register in Worthing and we are having to house hundreds of local families in temporary accommodation outside the area because of a lack of suitable homes for them. This is both very expensive and also damaging for the residents' quality of life.
It is estimated that bringing the Worthing tenants back to the town will save us tens of thousands of pounds a year we would have otherwise had to spend on B&B and private accommodation outside the area.
Photos: Tempest Court, Victoria Road, Worthing
Photo: Cllr Sophie Cox, Worthing's cabinet member for housing (centre), with Toine Hodgkiss (left) and Stuart Eatock (right) from ECE Architecture
(PR26-059)
Page last updated: 14 July 2026