Decision

To complete the transfer of part of the Council’s Freehold land HM Land Registry Title WSX298213 at Land on the West Side of Long Furlong, Clapham, Worthing. The land is not within the administrative area of Worthing Borough Council.

The parcel to be sold comprises 24.39 acres of arable land. The Council will retain the remaining 29.84 acres of rough pastureland. There are no rights of way that affect the land to be sold. The proposed purchaser is the current tenant, who has occupied both parts of the land under one Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) tenancy for several decades and has security of tenure rights.

It has been agreed that, as part of this land sale, the tenant will surrender their AHA agreement of the retained rough pastureland for the Council to use for its own purposes (yet to be decided). A sale price of £140,000 (One Hundred and Forty Thousand Pounds) has been agreed, with the sale to complete as soon as possible.

In accordance with Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972, council officers have ensured ‘best consideration’ is achieved for the disposal by obtaining an independent RICS ‘Red Book’ Valuation by an agricultural specialist. This valuation was updated in May ‘26 to confirm best consideration is still achieved.

Reasons for the decision

In accordance with the Council’s published ‘Disposals Strategy and Process’, this parcel of land was identified as suitable for disposal as it is low income producing, has no community or social value that warrants the Council owning it, and there is no reasonable prospect of the land being developed for emergency or temporary accommodation or social housing (as the land is subject to the South Downs National Park Planning Authority and is within an area of open countryside).

The Council’s legal officers have confirmed there are no restrictions that create a legal impediment to the sale. Furthermore, there were no other bona fide internal uses identified, no community or environmental benefit to retaining the land, and no strategic or council objective that would impede the sale. 

Alternative options considered

1.    Freehold sale of land of the entire land parcel with vacant possession: This would require the surrender of the current tenancy, which has significant statutory protection.

2.    Freehold sale of land of the entire land parcel subject to the existing Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy: This has been discounted as WBC wishes to retain the rough pastureland for a future use.

3.    Freehold sale of the arable land only to the existing tenant and WBC retaining the pastureland, which itself would still be subject to the AHA tenancy which would have to be renegotiated. This would result in less capital receipt for WBC than the recommended proposal and less overall retained value of the pastureland.