Some of our seafront buildings are quite stunning architecturally, and it is vital that we both preserve them and make the most of them, after all it is the seafront that is effectively the gateway to the town. Already, 50 properties have been received warning letters or Section 215 Notices (notices requiring owners to carry out improvements to their properties or face legal action). Of those 50, work has been promised, started or carried out to 36 properties.
Council Leader Jeremy Birch, and Planning Board Chair Councillor David Hancock repeated their seafront walk with Council Officers this August, 12 months on from their initial walk which saw the start of the campaign. They walked the length of the seafront to look at the work that has been carried out and to identify new properties which require external works.
The Council has now prepared prosecutions against two property owners as work has not been carried out within the time span allowed. However, work to other buildings has been carried out to a high standard including Eversfield Mansions and many of the properties along Marina.
Councillors also stopped to look inside Regents Court to see how work is progressing. The building has had all the floors inside it completely replaced and at that time, the owner was planning to start work to replace the roof in September.
Although the original target was the seafront, as it is the part of the town which most people see, the campaign has also been taken inland to the Old Town and Bohemia Road.
Planning enforcement officers began to target the Old Town in January this year. Work has been completed on 8 premises, underway at another 2 and has been promised on a further 8. In total, 16 Section 215 Notices have been served since December 2000.
Work has been completed on the old Spar shop in George Street and on 1A Castledown Terrace _ both of which were in a very bad state of repair and now look much improved
Work to tackle the problem of eyesore properties began in Bohemia Road in February this year. To date, work has been completed on 13 properties, is underway at 4 and promised on a further 3.
The Council offered painting grants in this area of the town, as it was felt that this would help move the initiative along more quickly.
Other parts of the town have not escaped, even though attention has primarily been on these three areas.
Property owners in Wellington Square, Robertson Street,Castle Street and also in Queens Road have also been targeted.
This campaign has proved particularly popular with residents _ many of whom have phoned Officers to praise the work that has been done.
Planning Officers have also been invited to visit other local councils to give them advice about how best to carry out planning enforcement as Hastings is now seen as an example of best practice!
Council Leader Jeremy Birch, said:
"It's easy to forget just what some of the buildings looked like a year ago. Fortunately we have photographic evidence _ the `before' the clean-up pictures and the `after' pictures. Walking the same route along the seafront 12 months on and armed with the photos you can really see the transformation. I know local people are with us on this - there is no place in Hastings & St Leonards for derelict buildings or for owners who refuse to act."
Chair of the Planning Board, Councillor David Hancock added:
"I would like to thank those owners of buildings who have responded to the Council's campaign. It's in their interest and in the interest of the whole town to maintain the appearance of their properties."
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This page last updated: 15/10/2001