TC5 - The Observer building, 53 Cambridge Road

Site reference: TC5
Site name: The Observer building, 53 Cambridge Road 

Focus Area/Strategic Policy: Focus Area 1: Hastings Central

Use: Commercial/employment led mixed use with priority uses including workspace for creative industries, cultural and/or education uses.  Option to include residential uses.

Indicative capacity (net residential dwellings/floorspace): Up to 3,000sqm and minimum 16 homes

Site specific development considerations based on draft Local Plan policies:

Development on this site should:

• Give priority to uses that provide for an element of wider community access to an important historic building, although the existing building frontage may limit the degree to which active uses can be accommodated at street level
• Retain and secure the building frontage. Significant repair and renovation is required
• Enhance the setting of the conservation area, including views of and from Hastings Castle
• Introduce policy compliant ‘greening’ to the site in a form appropriate to the urban setting
• Enhance access to and the setting of existing urban outdoor space at Rock Alley to the south of the building
• Mitigate the impact of noise on residential dwellings with appropriate measures due to its location within the active night time economy setting of Cambridge Road
• Provide 25% affordable housing where new residential development is built in line with policy SP2

The following image shows a map of the site boundary

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