The sign says ‘Please use this greenspace respectfully’.

Bathing Pool area and beyond: new proposals possible

The site of the Old Bathing Pool (OBP) in West St Leonards continues to attract support for a better future as well as fond memories of its sunny past. Importantly, a revision of the Local Development Plan reopens possibilities, including for elsewhere. A new exhibition at Electro Studios in Seaside Road says more. Bernard McGinley reports.

West Marina Partnership is hosting an exhibition, ‘Lido Land‘,  that focuses on the famous Bathing Pool on Seaside Road, featuring its creation, its glory and demise. It also features the current plan to develop a housing estate on the site, as well as community-led alternative concepts and detailed designs. 

The venue is Electro Studios, Seaside Road, St Leonards-on-Sea TN38 0DF. The gallery is open 12 noon to 5pm on Friday 12 September to Sunday 14 September.

Electro Studios Project Space

Regulation 18 consultation

The notion that the future of the site is settled is incorrect. An apparently dull piece of procedure called Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation is involved, which allows the local community to get involved.

At the Hastings Borough Council (HBC) Cabinet on 1 September, it was agreed to revise the Local Development Scheme (LDS), which feeds into the Local Plan. Regulation 18 consultation is the first stage of this, starting in December and dealing with sites and policies. Under this relatively open process, HBC ‘must take into account any representation made to them’ in preparing the Local Plan before a later, Regulation 19 consultation and submission to central government.

The main issues are housing targets and brownfield sites, priorities and local aspirations — but site proposals can be revised. (A classic instance was when HBC abandoned fixed proposals for housing in order to have a new hotel in Cornwallis Street [case HS/FA/21/00851] — ‘a departure from the Local Plan’.)

The previous LDS of March 2025 will be superseded by a new version. There is a September 2025 update to the LDS. Adoption of the new Local Plan is likely to be delayed for a year. After the new Sussex unitary authorities’ vesting day on 1 April 2028, preparation of this Hastings Local Plan will carry over and continue through towards adoption, until such time as a new Local Plan is adopted for the whole unitary area, to replace it. See Paragraph 074 of central government’s Plan-making Guidance.

The Guidance also states:

Local planning authorities are encouraged to include details of other documents which form (or will form) part of the development plan for the area, such as Neighbourhood Plans. The Local Development Scheme must be made available publicly and kept up-to-date. It is important that local communities and interested parties can keep track of progress. Local planning authorities should publish their Local Development Scheme on their website.

Convent Gateway, Magdalen Road (Hassocks 5489)

Convent proposals pend

Additionally, the Convent site in Magdalen Road is becoming ‘live’ in planning terms, after many years. The new draft Local Development Scheme says: ‘The Council is currently progressing a Development Brief and Masterplan for the site at the former Convent of the Holy Child Jesus which will be a Supplementary Planning Document’ (SPD in the jargon).

The current exhibition could help in the formulation of better proposals for the Old Bathing Pool site than there are at present.

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