Housing for Bulverhythe and bathing pool sites still part of council’s plans
No one in charge at Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is having second thoughts about pressing on with two controversial housing developments.
At last night’s meeting of the full council questions were raised about both the plans for development of housing at Bulverhythe and for the redevelopment of the old bathing pool site at West St Leonards.
Councillor Karl Beaney quizzed the council’s deputy leader Colin Fitzgerald about the Bulverhythe recreation ground plans on which the council has already spent almost £1m in consultants and other fees – asking if the council would suspend its plans for construction of 192 new homes on the site, especially as the Labour Party at a national level has called for an end to building new homes on flood plains.
Mr Fitzgerald told him: “I will make a commitment that we will do what we have to do to ensure that anything we build conforms to planning regulations and to Homes England guidelines. We expect to have a set of very good houses down there.”
Meanwhile Councillor Andy Patmore asked former council leader Peter Chowney about the latest news on any lease being signed with potential developers of the old bathing pool site.
It’s now more than two years since HBC identified County Gate/Sunley as its preferred developer for the site with a scheme for five, five storey blocks of flats earmarked for the site and more than a year since councillors were told that the signing of a lease with the developers was just ‘a fortnight’ away.
Mr Patmore said that he had twice been told by Mr Chowney that the council was within weeks of signing a lease with developers but now, more than a year on from that progress appeared to have stalled.
Mr Chowney explained that on each when he had been asked about progress he was told by council officials that the lease was ready to sign: “But it is by its very nature a complicated lease and there always seems to be good reason why it should be delayed.”
Mr Chowney apologised for misleading the council but stressed he had been giving out information that HBC’s officials had given to him. He told councillors that he has once again be assured that lease is ready and it was his understanding that a meeting was to be held within days for the document to be considered in detail by himself and council leader Kim Forward.
“Mr Chowney apologised for misleading the council but stressed he had been giving out information that HBC’s officials had given to him.”
So does that mean that officers have misled Councillor Chowney?
So for 2 years Cllr Chowney was given the runaround by officials or he forgot to ask or he is making it up? The developments have serious flaws that HBC’s ruling body continues to ignore, so we can only hope Countygate Sunley are having serious worries about proceeding.
This bathing pool site is a flood plane I live opposite and in our buildings ins. We pay more owing to Bexhill Rd and this site being a flood plane. What are these councillors thinking of. It’s disgraceful , this area cries out for leasure that will attract tourism down this end and bring life to this area. High rise flats won’t do that. All that will happen is wealthy Londoners will buy them as holiday homes and rent out air b&b it’s just not right or fair. This labour council need to get a grip.im sure they won’t be voted in after this.
Regarding the first two comments here. I think it is just another example of HBC and councillor opacity.
I fear all the work and effort the West St. Leonards action group have put into offering a sensible alternative to this site will be ignored as usual of course. Doesn’t matter what the people want does it ?
Ever since the’homes for heroes’ strategy after the Second World War government and councils have pursued the numbers game instead of quality. This has not only left us with a legacy of poor quality public housing ( expensive to maintain etc) but fails to address the participative way of getting housing built using local people and the many small wasted sites we have.
Absolutely right about the housing stock! It is odd that Germany managed to build back better (including underground parking & storage for low-rise apartment-dwellers, whilst the UK still focuses upon poor or mediocre quality for maximum profit. That shows a lack of local and central government to improve the lives of the population. Housing developments on both Bulverhythe playing fields and the Old Bathing Pool site will be on the designated flood plain. Building will be costlier than normal and for what benefit when better land is available for housing?
As Bryan accurately notes about these two Sites for housing being on a “flood plain” may I add they will be un-insurable for any flood damage. So it will be “at your own risk.” property.
Is there a King Canute in HBC making these decisions ?