Hastings Town Centre and Bohemia Area Action Plan Evidence Base

This page includes the Sustainability Appraisal and other documents which formed the evidence base for the Hastings Town Centre and Bohemia Area Action Plan. We are now working on our new Local Plan. 

Some of these files are large and may take a while to download, if you wish to see a paper copy of any of these please contact us.

Strategic Housing & Employment Availability Assessment (SHELAA) 2019

We are updating our housing and employment land supply information.  This is needed to help ensure we have an up-to-date picture of the potential amount of land available in the town for future development needs. We need to do this in order to help us update the Local Plan. Our call for sites has taken place and we have created our Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) which will be published as soon as possible on our new Local Plan evidence base page.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the AAP

The SA report provides an assessment of reasonable alternatives in the delivery of different themes within the AAP against social, economic and environment objectives with the aim of promoting sustainable development.

• Sustainability Appraisal (July 2018)
• SEA_SA Scoping Report to AAP - July 2016
• Background Paper 1 - July 2016
• Background Paper 2 - July 2016
• Update to AAP SEA Scoping Report - October 2016
• Scoping Report - October 2016
• Background Paper 1 - October 2016

White Rock Park and Bohemia: A Strategy for the future of the White Rock Area

This White Rock Masterplan explores the potential of introducing new development into the Bohemia area and considers issues that may be associated with such change. A White Rock master plan stakeholder workshop involving a range of local organisations and individuals with an interest in the White Rock area was held in November 2016. Landowners and interested parties were also consulted during the development of the Masterplan. Key themes put forward included:

• a focus on public space and existing dormant assets as a transformative tool for Hastings
• rationalising services and facilities, enhancing sports facilities in the area, promoting mixed use and varied spaces
• coordinating cultural development
• addressing housing needs
• strengthening connections to the seafront, St Leonards and Hastings Town Centre to ensure that White Rock is accessible and tied into the town

White Rock Park & Bohemia Strategy (White Rock Masterplan) (White Arkitekter, July 2017)

Hastings Town Centre and White Rock Retail and Leisure Assessments and Urban Design Analysis

This study provides a detailed analysis of retail need and capacity within the town centre, leisure and facilities assessment and an urban design analysis including the identification of potential development sites. The study was informed by a Hastings Town Centre and White Rock Area Action Plan (AAP) stakeholder workshop event held in November 2015.

• Hastings Town Centre and White Rock Retail and Leisure Assessments and Urban Design Analysis (Bilfinger GVA, March 2016)
• Appendices for Hastings Town Centre and White Rock Retail and Leisure Assessments and Urban Design Analysis (Bilfinger GVA, March 2016)

Ashdown Forest Air Quality Impact Assessment

This report accompanies the Sustainability Appraisal and gives consideration to the likely significant effect of housing and employment growth within the Hastings Borough on the Ashdown Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA) over the period from 2017 to 2033. Air Quality implications of growth within the Hastings Borough for the Pevensey Levels SAC and Ramsar site, and for Lewes Downs SAC are also considered within the report.

• Ashdown Forest Air Quality Impact Assessment (Aecom, May 2018)

Energy studies

These two energy reports identify potential for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) within the Bohemia area.

• Sustainability Energy Options study (Regen SW, June 2017)
• Energy Options study report (CLS Energy, June 2017)

Conservation Area Appraisals

• St Leonards Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan
• Hastings Central Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan

Future Housing Requirements in Hastings

An update to the Hastings and Rother Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) was undertaken in 2013. The June 2013 update identified housing need in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and was needed to support the development of a housing target for inclusion with the Hastings Planning Strategy (adopted 2014). The following report is not an updated SHMA, but it provides and analysis of key data and the likely level of objectively assessed housing need (OAN) for Hastings if calculated by reference to current draft Planning Practice Guidance.

Future Housing Requirements in Hastings (April 2018) (Wessex Economics, April 2018)

Transport modelling

The transport modelling has been used to evaluate existing road conditions and to project future effects and impacts on road infrastructure in Hastings Town Centre and Bohemia area.

• ESCC transport modelling summary
• Final transport modelling report (Mott MacDonald, February 2018)
• Transport modelling background report (Mott MacDonald, October 2017)