WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?
Letter
Future of St Mary
Dear HIP
Christopher Cormack is right (Letter in HIP 255): St Mary-in-the-Castle is a gem, which is being allowed to fall into disrepair whilst available funding is destined for the ruins of Hastings castle.
How short-sighted is this! Our seafront is becoming a disgrace to the town, yet there is the obvious opportunity to revitalise. St Mary’s should be the centre of all our artistic and musical activities. Shame on the council if they fail to understand.
Trish Peak
Letter
Our New MP
Dear HIP,
I was impressed to see our new Labour MP, Helena Dollimore, hit the ground running this week. Not long after taking her solemn oath in parliament, she was meeting with the Minister for Education, Catherine McKinnell MP, to discuss the University of Brighton Academies Trust withholding vital funding from local schools.
As a proud trade unionist, I backed Helena for MP as she had proven herself to be a formidable campaigner with a consistent record of standing up for our public services: whether it be shining a light on local ambulance response times, or successfully campaigning against the dangerous downgrading of The Ridge Community Fire Station.
After fourteen years of Tory cronyism, corruption and scandal, I am proud to know that Hastings and Rye has an MP who will be a strong, passionate voice for us in parliament.
Michael Etheridge
Letter
Options at Clifton Court
Dear HIP
Regarding Clifton Court (and other properties no doubt), of course outsiders like me do not, as yet, have all the facts that appear to make demolition and re-build a sensible course of action. Let us hope a logical case follows. But to the casual, and even the informed observer, the decision by Orbit appears to be completely without foundation.
As someone who has designed and project-managed large scale refurbishment contracts on both housing estates and multi-storey blocks of flats, the building seems to be structurally sound, while issues such as mould can quite easily be dealt with by the introduction of external wall insulation and heat recovery ventilation. As for the ‘not up to modern space standards’ case, most buildings in Hastings do not meet them, as those standards have steadily risen over the years. In my view the present space appears adequate enough and even has potential to be increased.
What is more, the two blocks almost certainly have considerable scope for adding further units. Subject to structural checks the roof might take another two floors, and both the gap between the blocks and the land on the north east side along Linton Road could probably take a stack of one-bedroomed flats.
Moreover, isn’t the site within a conservation area where the planners have every right to expect a high standard not only of design but of sustainability? Retro-fitting these buildings in a creative way could solve both the technical and aesthetic standards that such a wonderful location demands.
Ken Davis
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I have read Michael Etheridge’s letter and, while I am not a supporter of the Conservative Party nor wish to denigrate the efforts of our new MP, I think Mr Etheridge is very unfair to our late MP, Sally-Ann Hart, who has put a great deal of effort into local issues, in particular looking for solutions to the flooding experienced last year.
David Penfold