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Twenty one members of the public visited the exhibition in central St Leonards

Shaping Hastings

Where should new homes be built, which open spaces should be preserved, how should architecture be conserved, where should we play, work and shop? Monday 6 February saw the launch of an informal public consultation on these questions by Hastings Borough Council planning policy team. The Shaping Hastings consultation is the start of a lengthy process of negotiating how space in the town will be allocated and will result in a plan that will be in force until 2028, writes Richard Hull.

Running up until early March a number of venues will host exhibitions of district maps and space allocations. Attendees will also be able to consult and comment on the detailed documents of the Development Management Plan which will form a part of the Hastings Local Plan (formerly the Local Development Framework).  Comments can be submitted in writing at these exhibitions or online via the council’s web site, up until April 27.

However, this will not mark the end of the public’s opportunity to contribute, as later in the year there will be a more formal consultation of the final revised plan, and in 2013 members of the public will be able to make submissions to the statutory Public Examination of the Local Plan. Rules for these examinations have changed and some councils’ carefully prepared plans have been sent back to the drawing board; in addition the Borough faces uncertainties such as the Bexhill link road.

But Chief Borough Planning Officer Tim Cookson is hopeful of a positive response to Hastings’ unusual position of having very little spare land and a large programme for bringing empty and under-used properties back into full use.

Planning is an inherently controversial activity and with a requirement to bring into new use over 200 housing units per year the Borough faces some considerable challenges. Not least of these will be their apparent determination to press ahead, despite local opposition, with large-scale new housing developments such as the two St Leonards’ plans for the Archery Ground and the Magdalen Road former convent.

 

Exhibition venues

The exhibition was shown at the Bridge Community Centre, 361 Priory Road, Hastings, on 6 February and Gensing and Central St Leonards Community Forum on 8 February. Other dates and venues are as follows:

Friday 10 February, 3pm to 6pm:
Stade Hall, The Stade, Hastings

Tuesday 14 February, 12noon to 7pm:
Town Hall, Queens Road, Hastings

Thursday 16 February, 10am to 1pm
Tilekiln Community Centre, Tilebarn Road, St Leonards

Saturday 03 March, 9am to 5.30pm:
Priory Meadow Shopping Centre, Hastings

A small display is also available in the Planning Reception at Aquila House throughout the consultation period.

 

Links:

HBC’c consultation www.hastings.gov.uk/consultations

Save The Archery Ground (STAG)  http://www.savethearcheryground.org/

Hastings Planning & Heritage Watchdog http://www.hastingswatchdog.org.uk/

 

 

 

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Posted 18:00 Wednesday, Feb 8, 2012 In: Home Ground

Also in: Home Ground

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