Government Pauses Council Reform
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN
Government plans for the reform of local government across Sussex have been put on hold. Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, told MPs in Parliament on Monday (7 September) that she had launched a review of the reorganisation proposals “to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law.” She added: “I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new prime minister, and any additional considerations.”
Cllr Glenn Haffenden
The decision means that the immediate threat of abolition hanging over Hastings Borough Council in 2028 is lifted. It may also mean that Hastings will not hold local elections next May, as those ballots were scheduled for the new East Hastings Unitary Authority.
Council Leader Glenn Haffenden condemned the government’s decision as an “absolute shambles”.
Local Plan Update
Cllr Haffenden was speaking just hours after the government announcement when he chaired the council Cabinet, which was meeting to recommend approval of a new Local Plan that will shape the town’s development over the next 15 years.
The draft plan sets out a vision of how Hastings will grow and change in the period up to 2041. It addresses some of the most significant challenges facing the borough, including the need for more homes, the urgency of tackling climate change, the importance of protecting green spaces and historic character, and the need to strengthen the local economy.
The Cabinet unanimously approved that the draft Local Plan goes before the Full Council on 23 September for debate and a formal vote before a final stage of public consultation.
Housing crisis
The Cabinet discussion on the Local Plan focussed on the town’s housing crisis. In his foreword to the draft plan consultation in February, Council Leader Glenn Haffenden, said: “Housing remains one of the most pressing issues for our community.” The push for a new plan comes against a backdrop of a severe housing shortage. The government’s nationally calculated housing need for Hastings currently stands at 686 net new homes per year – more than three times the rate planned for under the current 2014 Local Plan, which made provision for just 200 homes annually.
Over the full period of the Plan, this would equate to a need for 12,348 new homes. However, the council’s capacity-led approach has identified land for a little under 3,300 net new homes – just 27% of the identified need. The council insists it has left “no stone unturned” in identifying all suitable, available and deliverable sites across the borough.
The proposed plan adopts an “at least” housing target, which is set 10% lower than the current housing land supply figure. Council officers argue this provides necessary contingency given potential complexities around site delivery, land ownership and the impact of housing renewal schemes.
Extensive consultation
The Local Plan has been developed through two rounds of public consultation under Regulation 18, with the most recent exercise between February and April 2026 generating over 2,300 comments from more than 540 individuals and organisations. Five public drop-in events and six targeted special interest group sessions were held across the town.
Feedback has informed a range of changes to policies and site allocations, including the removal of some sites, the addition of three new sites and revisions to indicative housing yields. The former Convent of the Holy Child Jesus on Magdalen Road is now proposed as a housing-led, mixed-use allocation, while Four Courts on Stonehouse Drive has received its own site allocation policy.
Employment and infrastructure challenges
The plan also grapples with significant shortfalls in employment land. A review has reduced available employment land supply to approximately 15,000 sqm, against a requirement of 70,400 sqm – a shortfall of around 75%. The council’s approach is to promote densification of existing employment areas and resist the loss of existing employment land and premises.
Infrastructure delivery is a key component, with ongoing engagement with East Sussex County Council on transport, flood risk and education, alongside discussions with the NHS and utility providers including Southern Water.
Public Concerns
At Monday evening’s Cabinet meeting, concerns were raised about the draft plan, criticising the housing targets as too modest and the densification assumptions as overly cautious. Unease also centred on the fact that only one part of the densification study had been published beforehand. In response, Cllr Mark Etherington, the Planning, Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Portfolio Holder, said: “We place no cap on density,” adding that there needs to be an “intelligent look at densification levels.”
It is also worth noting that the recent refusal of planning permission for new homes next to Sandrock Bends – combined with the highly unusual decision being taken by council officers rather than elected members– raised serious questions about planning transparency.
What happens next
Subject to Full Council approval on 23 September, the six-week Regulation 19 consultation will be the final opportunity for the public to comment on the plan before it is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination. However, representations must relate to legal compliance or soundness – specifically whether the plan is positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy.
A further report will be presented to Full Council in December 2026, summarising issues raised and seeking authority to submit the plan for examination before the government’s 31 December deadline. Council officers warn that failure to progress the Local Plan would leave the authority vulnerable to speculative development, reduce local influence over where growth occurs, and potentially expose the council to government intervention.
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