LEVELLING UP FUNDS RAIDED TO COMPLETE LINK ROAD
£2.5m Cash Gap Plugged out of Awards to Hastings and Rother
HUGH SULLIVAN
On 25 March the Westminster government announced that Hastings borough and Rother district will receive targeted cash grants totalling £20 million each from its Levelling Up Partnerships (LUP) programme. They are two out of just 20 areas in England and four places in Scotland that qualify for a share in the £480 million initiative aimed at benefiting those “that are most in need of levelling up”.
Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young described the LUPs as “fantastic news for the people of Hastings and Rother – and another important step in our work to accelerate regeneration and transform lives in this special part of the country”.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) had, he said, “worked closely with the local councils to identify their priority projects… making sure residents and families reap the rewards of new and improved health services, refurbished community hubs and revamped high streets”.
Funds are to be invested in projects identified as follows:
- over £13 million to provide more affordable housing in Hastings
- £9 million to develop a brand-new King Offa Leisure Centre in Bexhill alongside the building of over 50 new homes
- £5 million to build a new Barnhorn Green Health in Bexhill
- £3.4 million to transform the Hollington Youth Hub, offering a wide range of health and wellbeing services in partnership with the local NHS
- £2.5 million to complete the Queensway Gateway Road
- 2.1 million to improve existing voluntary and community facilities in Rother, including over £1 million to build a new Bexhill Community Hub
- £1.7 million to support the tourist economy in Rother
- £1 million for projects to improve skills across both Hastings and Rother so residents are equipped to gain well-paid jobs
- £818,000 for the development of the Project Art Works’ premises in Hastings, ensuring greater arts access for people with disabilities
- £650,000 to improve energy efficiency and long-term sustainability of Rye leisure facilities
- £260,000 to support high street improvements in Hastings, Bexhill, Rye and Battle
- £100,000 for improvements to the existing Ore Health Centre
It’s the item of £2.5m for completion of the Queensway Gateway link road which catches the eye. This road was originally supposed to have been completed by 2016. For several years officers of East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and the directors of its project partner Sea Change Sussex have wrangled over a shortfall of funding to complete it, each side holding the other responsible, while the original funders SELEP (the South East Local Partnership) made it clear that no further cash would be offered from that quarter.
However, in March 2023, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced in a budget speech that the government was “minded” to withdraw its support from all LEPs and transfer their responsibilities to local authorities from April 2024, in line with a policy of “empowering democratically elected local leaders at every opportunity”. That would not in itself have assisted ESCC to plug the funding gap. But, as HIP has been predicting for over six months, once SELEP was abolished, the council was able to apply direct to DLUHC for fresh funds – and that’s exactly what has occurred. Sums of £1.25 million have been sliced off each of the awards of £20m to Hastings and Rother to make the aggregate of £2.5m which ESCC officers hope will be sufficient to complete the remaining roadway and junction with the A21.
CHEERLEADING MPs
Respective local Conservative MPs, Sally-Ann Hart for Hastings & Rye and Huw Merriman for Bexhill and Battle, have not just led the cheerleading but have also claimed the credit. Mrs Hart issued a statement: “A few months ago, I started my campaign to Complete The Link after years of neglect from those in charge of the project. This final stretch of the Link Road, the ‘road to nowhere’, was blocking the area’s economic growth, so, alongside our neighbouring MP, Huw Merriman, I am delighted to say we have successfully secured the funding to finally complete this project and level up Hastings.”
Hastings Borough Council leader Julia Hilton has made no comment on the diversion of cash to the road completion, but confined her expression of pleasure to the funding of other projects, in particular the cash for housing.
“We are really pleased that Hastings has been given this funding to help us address the housing crisis we have in our town,” she said.
“The funding means we are able to expand our housing acquisition programme and also make sure that a site earmarked for affordable housing can be built to our very high energy efficient specification and under our control. Funding for other partner projects across the town, including skills, health, culture and better youth provision, is also very welcome.”
Rother District Council leader, Cllr Doug Oliver said:
“Every single person should have the same opportunities in life, regardless of where they live, but we know that in Rother there are barriers that limit possibilities for some people.
“This latest funding, as part of the Government’s Levelling Up Partnerships programme, is an amazing investment for our district, and will enable us and our partners to make a real difference to people’s lives and futures. We face challenges in Rother unique to us and it’s important that the solutions come from local people and organisations that have the best understanding of the situation.”
SEA CHANGE RESPONSE
Notwithstanding the funding announcement, the timetable for completion of the road link remains uncertain. A spokesperson for Sea Change said last week that, while they welcomed the news, they “have some concerns” that the £2.5m falls short of the £3m which they recently advised ESCC may be needed to complete the scheme.
“We remain keen to help finish the road if the county council would like us to do so and believe this urgently needs to be done for the benefit of the community. The ball is in the county council’s court and we’re waiting to hear from them about next steps and timescales.”
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Administration charges to finish Link Road 2.49 million the rest will go to a couple of bags of tarmac