The Hastings & Bexhill Task Force (trading as SeaSpace and comprising the South East England Development Agency, the Government Office for the South East, Hastings Borough Council, Rother District Council, East Sussex County Council and English Partnerships) was set up to make the best use of the substantial money given to our area by the government. We're at the heart of the task force and this is an update on its work from Director John Shaw:
If 2003 was about paving the way for change, 2004 is about taking decisive steps forward. Of course we can never achieve regeneration overnight. But we can start to deliver the early projects which will become catalysts for further significant improvements.
Let's look at the next year in terms of the five elements of our plan: education, business, broadband, transport and "urban renaissance".
We're bringing world-class higher education to Hastings and creating a culture of learning and development. We were delighted to open the doors of the new University Centre Hastings to the first students in September 2003. The Rt. Hon Alan Johnson MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further & Higher Education, officially opened the centre proclaiming it "an outstanding initiative."
To make this happen, we worked closely with several of the South East's universities, including the University of Brighton and Hastings College of Art & Technology which validated the first courses. This year will see us extending the number of universities collaborating and the courses on offer, as well as student numbers and physical space. September 2004 will see the completion of a spectacular new atrium for the main building.
Our first major enterprise project will be the Creative Media Centre in Robertson Street. This will 'incubate' start-up businesses at the cutting edge of the town's creative sector. It will create a close-knit "enterprise community" by providing the latest in office space and support, enabling like-minded entrepreneurs to network and support each other as they grow.
The first part of the Creative Media Centre will open this Spring in the former Boots building with the second part, opposite, opening around December 2004. By the year end, we'll have space for over 40 local businesses.
We're also creating 3,000 square metres of business space on the Churchfields Industrial Estate site, with building due to start this Autumn and a 16,000 square metre development in Queensway which could accommodate a large single business.
Now that we've made sure broadband technology is widely available throughout the town, our priority is to help businesses adopt the most effective service. At the heart of this will be the Broadband Experience Centre which we've opened in Robertson Street.
Setting out to demystify the technology, it will have staff offering free, impartial guidance and providing information on training. It will also be a place where broadband providers can demonstrate their wares.
Transport has long been a regeneration priority but it's not something that any one organisation can deliver on its own. That's why task force partners and neighbouring councils are forging strong links with the transport agencies and other relevant parties. We're continuing to campaign for improved links between Hastings and the rest of the South East and fighting for better accessibility within the town. This is crucial to our ability to attract investment and achieve lasting growth. You can read about progress on the Hastings-Bexhill Link Road elsewhere in this 'About'.
We're looking at rail links, with dualling of the line between Hastings and Ashford high on the list. Improvements to the train timetable between London and Hastings have already been made and new trains are being introduced to all routes.
Central to all our initiatives is "urban renaissance" which basically means improving the physical character of the town to make it a safe, attractive place. We're introducing outstanding contemporary architecture to complement our historic buildings, giving people new homes, amenities and business premises with an emphasis on spacious, light, accessible, environmentally-friendly spaces.
Within this plan, you'll start to see significant changes in Ore Valley, courtesy of £15M from English Partnerships which you can also read about elsewhere. Foster and Partners' designs for an innovative seafront development at Pelham Place received overwhelming public support at our exhibition last Autumn. Foster is now taking this forward with detailed designs and a planning application to follow.
Crucial to the regeneration of St Leonards, meanwhile, is Marina Pavilion, which we're committed to bringing back into use this year. We want the Pavilion to fulfil its potential to become a fabulous seafront development for day and evening use.
Overall then, 2004 is an exciting year to build on our humble first steps. We'll start to make meaningful progress in implementing the regeneration plan, and you'll see the first projects being delivered that will bring a new prosperity to Hastings & St Leonards longer term.
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This page last updated: 26/04/2004