Emmaus attends royal garden party

On 11 May, Emmaus Hastings & Rother trustee David Cooper attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. Every year, three garden parties are given at Buckingham Palace and one at Holyrood to acknowledge the positive contributions the guests have made to their communities

across the United Kingdom. The parties have been cancelled for the last two years due to Covid-19, but now return, although without the Queen in attendance.

Emmaus Hastings & Rother provides a home and meaningful work experience for up to 23 people who have been homeless. Residents have a home for as long as they need it, giving them the opportunity to regain stability in their lives and eventually move beyond homelessness. Emmaus Hastings & Rother is one of 29 Emmaus communities around the UK.

David said: “It was an honour to represent Emmaus at the event, and, despite the rain we had a fascinating day. I am very proud to be a part of the international Emmaus movement, and look forward to many more years of supporting Emmaus in the UK.”

Household Support Fund open for applications

Vulnerable households in Hastings can now apply for the Household Support Fund. The funding has been provided to Hastings Borough Council through East Sussex County Council from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Half of the additional funding will be spent supporting pensioners, and the other half will be allocated to working age households.

Claimants must be over 18, living in Hastings borough, and claiming one of the following benefits: Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction, Working Tax Credit, Income Support, Income Based Job-Seeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.

There are two schemes within the fund – support for energy and water costs of up to £50 per household, and for food of £30 per child and £50 per adult in the household.

Cllr Simon Willis (Lab), lead councillor for finance in the new Labour Green Cabinet, said: “We are pleased this scheme has been reopened to help some of our most vulnerable households. The increased cost of living is having a huge impact on many people who were already struggling to make ends meet.

“I’d encourage anyone who has friends or family who may be eligible for this scheme to let them know about it. If you’re able to help them apply, please do so as soon as possible, the limited funding will be allocated quickly.”

• Application form: www.hastings.gov.uk/benefits/hsf

Hastings Borough Council has called for an end to legislation which could see a developer convert a seven-storey office block in St Leonards into ‘slum’ housing – without planning permission.

Telereal Prime Property Group – a subsidiary of Telereal Trillium which owns the building -has already been granted prior change of use consent to turn Ashdown House on Sedlescombe Road North into 246 studio, one and two bedroom flats.

The permission was given without the council’s consent under legislation introduced by former Tory Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles in 2015.

The legislation provides that certain building works and changes of use can be carried out without having to apply for planning permission from the council.

However, HBC says it is horrified that the government policy is “being used to drive a coach and horses through the housing policy.”

Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) have produced some of the most poorly developed housing in the country which falls well below the normal planning and building standards required. Plans submitted by Telereal show that no changes will be made to the appearance of the office block, which currently houses the Department for Work and Pensions, set to relocate shortly to Lacuna House in Havelock Road.

Council leader Peter Chowney said the legislation has had catastrophic consequences in other towns and cities, creating slum housing. 

 “Despite repeated demands from local government to scrap this policy, the Government has refused to get rid of it and continues to allow poor quality conversions to take place, with councils unable to prevent it or have any say in it.”

“We are very concerned that this could happen to Ashdown House.”  

The council is now looking into ways of challenging the legislation and says it is urging current owners, and any future owners to consult with them about how a proper redevelopment of the site could take place to create good quality, energy efficient and affordable homes, with the proper local scrutiny that a full application would bring.

“The last thing we need in Hastings is a shoddy conversion to create poor quality housing of the kind we’ve seen elsewhere where permitted development rights have been used to create housing conversions without going through the planning process.” said Mr Chowney.

Trillium, now Telereal Trillium, was established in 1997 to acquire and manage the 16,663 square metre Department for Work and Pensions estate. In 2000 it was bought by Land Securities, becoming Land Securities Trillium before being acquired by Telereal in 2009.