West Marina Consultation Jump-started
HUGH SULLIVAN
A coalition of design and community groups has unveiled proposals for the future of the ex-bathing pool and holiday camp at West Marina. At a recent exhibition and workshop, West St Leonards Forum, Hastings Urban Design and Save Our Bathing Site (SOBS) set out their preferred ideas, designs and models of the development for public viewing and discussion. The move follows an announcement last November that council-backed developers, County Gate, were “looking forward to commencing a full programme of public consultation over the next few months” before finalising development proposals and submitting a planning application. They revealed that they had obtained Environment Agency approval, though not what it was for. Since then no scheme or outline has been forthcoming from them, or from the council.
West Marina site. Could it end up like the Iceberg Swimming Club on Bondi Beach?
Back in 2021, Hastings Borough Council (HBC) granted a lease to County Gate Properties to “regenerate” the site at West Marina. It was described by Peter Chowney, then lead councillor for finance, as a ‘joint venture”. He said the scheme would “include proposals for new homes, tourist accommodation, artists’ studios, children’s play, cafes and a slipway, in a development that will be designed to recognise the challenges of climate change and the council’s policy to make Hastings carbon neutral by 2030.” He also promised involvement with the local community, though over the past three years the people of West St Leonards have yet to be consulted in any meaningful way. A spokesperson for HBC said last week that council officers have been “in regular contact” over this period, but neither the council nor County Gate have made any further disclosure of what they intend.
Anna Sabin, chair of the West St Leonards Forum, says that the aim is “to rehearse the possibilities” for the site within the parameters set by the lease agreement, although no resident or community group has actually seen it. With regard to new homes, for instance, it’s suggested that they could all be in a tall apartment block built on the old car wash site, with sports facilities – squash courts, table tennis and kiteboard hire and tuition – on the ground floor. A beachside children’s play area could be established at the east end of the site (nearest the town centre). One robustly built café with a direct sea view and a terrace connected to the pebbles would be enough. A slipway for launching motor boats and jet skis? There’s general opposition, though three walls around a tidal pool, much hoped for, might be a possibility.
She added: “HBC needs the development to provide homes, but also to have it enhance life for existing local residents and the whole town rather than most of the gains going to the developer.” Representatives of County Gate’s dedicated West St Leonards Marina Limited (WSMLL) were not formally invited to last Saturday’s event, but local councillors did attend amongst an impressive turn-out of interested residents. Council leader Julia Hilton and housing portfolio member Glenn Haffenden are due to meet WSMLL in the next few weeks.
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Another great article Hugh! As one of those organising the event, we encouraged attendees to place their wishes for the OBP site on Post-its. The analysis showed 70% wanted a predominately Leisure & Tourism focus for the site, and NO housing at the Western end. As you say, there has been no meaningful consultation with the local community or its groups by either the developer or Hastings Borough Council. In fact, a councillor whose ward is partly within the new designated area (of West St Leonards) was told NOT to attend! This is because the councillor was on the Planning Committee and (somehow) seeing alternative designs and plans was ‘a conflict of interest’! We were all hoping a new regime in charge would not follow the awful days of the previous regime’s cabal-mindset….
While it will be interesting to see what the developers come up with, who knows it may be wonderful and very site specific, in principle this is not a site for lots of affordable housing. And this is what Hastings needs most. This is, perhaps, a site for an upmarket block of flats lifted up from any short term flood risk, at the far west end of the site where it can act as a visual draw and stop end to the seafront. The remainder of the site should be leisure, landscaping and perhaps even some relocatable houses/holiday lets.
The acid test though will be just who is going to want to buy houses near smelly sewage tanks and will homeowners be able to get insurance ?
The fact that the water companies cannot cope with this town’s sewage now, how on earth are they going to cope with more builds added. Surely it would be better if S.Water sorted it all out before any decisions are made of what and where.
Southern Water would, of course, say that they do now have the capacity in the sewage system but that, as everyone seems to forget, is that their system relies on pumps which we know only too well go wrong. But the reality is that when surface water continues to be added to the foul water and our rainfall is now beyond any predictable measures how can SW possibly know how many pumps they need? They don’t, but they are still in need of the income from extra houses to keep producing more profits.The greater absurdity remains though that there is enough land up the hill to build on.