Buckingham Park pavilion, Shoreham-by-Sea

We are looking for a partner to help transform and operate the tired southern pavilion at Buckingham Park into a modern facility for the community.

Buckingham Park in Shoreham is the largest green space in the district and a centre for sports, large events, dog walkers and more. However, its southern pavilion has let down the rest of the park for some time.

The facility is outdated, tired and failing to meet the needs of the community. Its café space is limited, the toilet facilities are of a poor standard and the building itself needs constant maintenance due to its age.

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

Redeveloping the pavilion has been a long-standing aspiration of Adur District Council, local sports clubs and the wider community, so following an extensive consultation and engagement process with local stakeholders, we developed a clear vision for a replacement pavilion that would act as a high-quality community asset.

Plans included a welcoming café with indoor and outdoor seating, modern and accessible public toilets, and improved changing facilities to support organised sport - all through a modern building that improves the character and usability of Buckingham Park.

Planning permission for the project was secured in 2024 and we originally explored delivering the scheme ourselves by borrowing the money needed. However, we've decided that capital investment from operators will enable a more certain delivery of the project.

We remain committed to securing a new pavilion for the benefit of the community, so are hoping to identify a developer or investment partner that can help deliver and operate the scheme.

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

Finding a partner for the project

We will soon launch an expression of interest process inviting organisations to come forward with proposals to redevelop and run the pavilion for the benefit of the community.

Interested parties will be required to demonstrate how their proposal aligns with the original vision, which was developed through close consultation with residents, community groups and sports clubs that regularly use the popular park.

To view our existing planning application to redevelop the facility, please visit our planning portal and enter the reference number AWDM/0407/24. We understand that a potential partner may wish to change some aspects of the application, and would like to work together to ensure a new pavilion works for all parties and the community.

The expression of interest process is expected to launch in the first few months of 2026. It's hoped that a new pavilion could be delivered and open in 2027.

Image: an artist's impression of how the new pavilion could look

A community facility in need of improvement

Aesthetically, the building hasn't aged well and the space is falling to meet the needs of its many users. It has also become increasingly expensive for us to maintain due to its age.

Whether it be the poor standard of toilets - which don't feature a disabled facility - or the visible wear and tear of the site, a quick walk in and around the pavilion reveals why the space needs improving.

Photo: Inside the mens' toilets at the pavilion

In recent years we have been working with local sports groups to find a suitable solution that benefits all those who use the pavilion while being good value. We think the best option is to completely replace the existing building.

Our plans for the new pavilion included a larger café with indoor and outdoor seating, a sports clubhouse and modern and accessible public toilets.

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

We would like the new pavilion at Buckingham Park to be an accessible and welcoming place where the community can come together to catch up with friends, prepare for sporting events or simply use the toilet at a clean and hygienic public facility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Q: Why are you looking to build a replacement pavilion at Buckingham Park?

We want to see the tired southern pavilion transformed into a modern facility for the community. It's been a long-term ambition of ours to build a replacement pavilion that the local clubs, community groups, residents and visitors can be proud of.

Buckingham Park is the largest green space in the district and a centre for sports, large events, dog walkers and more. However, its café space is limited, the toilet facilities are of a poor standard and the building itself needs constant maintenance due to its age.

Q: What would a replacement pavilion look like?

We hope to include a welcoming café with indoor and outdoor seating, modern and accessible public toilets, and improved changing facilities to support organised sport - all within a modern building that improves the character and usability of Buckingham Park.

The final design will be dependent on the partner that we select through the expression of interest process.

Q: What happened to your planning application to build a new pavilion?

Following an extensive consultation and engagement process with local sports clubs and the wider community, we developed a clear vision for a replacement pavilion that would act as a high-quality community asset.

We submitted a planning application for the project, which was approved by Adur's planning committee in 2024. Our plan was to deliver the scheme ourselves by borrowing the money needed, but we have now decided that proceeding with the financial support of an operator will enable a more certain delivery of the project.

As part of this expression of interest process, organisations will be required to demonstrate how their proposal aligns with the original vision, which was developed through close consultation with local stakeholders that regularly use the popular park.

We understand that a potential partner may wish to change some aspects of the application, and would like to work together to ensure a new pavilion works for all parties and the community.

Q: Why can't the council commit the funds to deliver the project itself?

We believe that proceeding with the financial support of an operator will enable a more certain delivery of the project. Like many local authorities across the country, we're operating with limited funds, but are still working to help deliver a number of major projects for the benefit of our communities and landscape.

Q: When will the expression of interest process for the site open?

The process is expected to launch in the next few months.

Q: When could we see a new pavilion built and opened to the public?

It's hoped that a new pavilion could be delivered and open in 2027, but it depends on how our search for a partner to help transform the site progresses.

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

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