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Press Releases week beginning 08 July 2019
Blue Green Algal bloom warning
Please be aware Blue Green Algae has been confirmed present in some waters in Alexandra Park, Hastings.
The Environment Agency confirmed on July 10th, that the water at Shornden Reservoir (near Clarence Road) has high levels of Blue Green Algae.
This algae can produce a scum that is toxic to animals and can harm people. Hastings Borough Council is warning people and their pets to stay out of the water and have put up signs around the affected areas to warn members of public.
Hastings Borough Council will continue to monitor the waterways in this area. The algae can spread to other waters in the Park, so please be vigilant. The algae is bright green and looks like a fine scum floating on the surface.
Fortunately this natural phenomenon will go away in time when temperatures drop significantly but this is unlikely to happen until the winter.
Please forward any new sightings of suspected blue green algae to the Environment Agency on their incident hotline (24hrs service) 0800 80 70 60.
Council builds for the future
Hastings Borough Council is to build its own housing for the first time in over 20 years.
At its meeting on Monday (8th July), the council's cabinet formally gave the go-ahead for the scheme, off Bexhill Road.
Cllr Andy Batsford, the council's lead councillor for housing, said :- "I am delighted to announce that we are embarking on our first housing development since we transferred our council housing to a housing association more than 20 years ago.
"We have secured nearly £7million from Homes England's Local Authority Accelerated Construction (LAAC) programme to carry out the necessary work, including flood remediation measures, needed to take forward the development.
"We will work with the local community to design a high quality scheme for approximately 190 new homes and I encourage all those that are interested in shaping this development to bring their ideas and energy to the open consultation events. The scheme will provide 40% affordable housing, which will produce shared ownership and genuinely affordable rent for local residents.
"We hope the site will act as an exemplar of local development and maximise social value. The development will be of the highest quality, accessible, and sustainable and provide sports, leisure, play facilities and beautiful safe place for our new and established local families to live and thrive. It will also address local flood related issues to support the development as well as improving the current flood risk for local residents in the area.
"There is a growing demand for a range of new homes in the town to meet local housing need. This is shown by the increase in homelessness locally, the rise in families living in temporary accommodation and the growing numbers of adult children who are living with their parents because they're unable to get a foot on the property ladder:- there are currently 160 local families living in temporary accommodation and 1,400 families on the Housing Register who are in housing need. The new development will provide homes for around 700 people, so will be of real benefit.
"While there is still a lot of work to be done and the scheme, like any other, will need planning permission before it can proceed, we are excited to have this opportunity to create new homes for local people."
Isabel Blackman Centre expressions of interest to be sought
Hastings Borough Council is inviting expressions of interest in the East Sussex County Council-owned Isabel Blackman Centre, in Hastings Old Town.
Cllr Kim Forward, deputy leader of Hastings Borough Council and lead councillor for planning policy, explained :- "East Sussex County Council has notified Hastings Borough Council of their wish to market and dispose of the Isabel Blackman Centre in Winding Street, in Hastings Old Town. As a registered Asset of Community Value this has triggered an initial six week moratorium period for qualifying local community interest groups to express an interest in bidding for the property.
"If any eligible community interest groups do express an interest in bidding during this time, a six month moratorium period will be triggered for the community group to prepare a bid on the building.
"At the end of the six months, if an eligible community group has successfully put a bid together, the owner will have the option to either accept the bid or sell the property freely on the open market."
Expressions of Interest can be submitted in writing by email at fplanning@hastings.gov.uk or post to Planning Policy, Hastings Borough Council, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3UY. They must be received by 5pm Tuesday 6 August.
Further information on the Community Right to Bid and the Expressions of Interest process can be found on these pages - -
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