South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Planning, Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC, today met with the Hastings and Rother Task Force to review the comprehensive regeneration proposals for the Hastings and Rother area, prior to the start of consultation with the local community. The proposals outline a Five Point Plan of work that would help to deliver a dynamic new future for the area.

The meeting with the Hastings and Rother Task Force follows discussions between Lord Falconer and the Task Force in October. Following this meeting, Lord Falconer asked local partners to work up the likely financial implications of the "Five Point Plan" they had presented.

Lord Falconer said "I was very impressed with the determination of the partners to turn around the fortunes of Hastings and Rother. These were hugely productive meetings in which a wide range of issues were discussed."

"This kind of partnership is vital if we are serious about seeing real change on the ground. We in Central Government are determined to do all we can to support a positive future for this area," Lord Falconer added.

Allan Willett, Chair of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and Cllr Jeremy Birch, Leader of Hastings Borough Council, welcomed the Minister to Hastings today.

Allan Willett said: "The two phased plan for public and private investment offers for the first time a real prospect of attracting the vibrant economy that is typical in the Thames Valley to Hastings & Rother. It is important that we continue to invest in the area, as well as looking to the future."

The endorsement from the Minister today means that the Task Force may now enter into wide consultations within the local community to determine the details of how the various elements should be taken forward.

The Chair of the Hastings & Rother Task Force, Anthony Dunnett (Chief Executive of SEEDA) said, "We are breaking new ground in Hastings. Today has been a turning point. We have now received a strong endorsement from Government for the Task Force's framework and we are now able to go to the local community for their views and ideas. The Task Force has identified many potential Government programme funding streams to finance some of the key elements of the Five Point Plan. However, until the details are developed it is not possible to fully quantify the cost of the package, or to establish precisely which funding sources can be used."

Anthony Dunnett continued, "In January we will be holding a number of consultation events with the local community, Statutory Bodies and a broad range of partners in the Hastings & Bexhill area. For the first time in any major regeneration scheme in the UK, we will also be undertaking a sustainability audit and an urban master-planning study to inform the final determination of "what should happen where". It is vital that the community drive the detail forward, informed by the best independent advice available."

Anthony Dunnett added; "The Five Point Plan highlights the Government's and local partners' commitment to find a lasting solution to Hastings' and Bexhill's problems. It directly addresses the issues raised when the By-passes were turned down. The cross-departmental, cross-party, cross-organisation approach has resulted in a flexible profile that will help us to address the needs in the area. The sum of this work is very certainly greater than the parts".

Michael Foster, M.P. for Hastings said "My discussions with Lord Falconer on Thursday morning have made me confident that he is aware of the special needs of Hastings. Clearly the Five Point Plan will provide the necessary tools to give our local community a hand up so that we can avoid hand outs in the future."

Gregory Barker, M.P. for Battle and Bexhill said, "We are now getting down o the nitty-gritty of delivering this ambitious package. My concerns that economic development be environmentally sustainable are clearly addressed. The long term environmental future of Rother should be secured if we succeed."

Cllr. Peter Jones, Leader for East Sussex County Council, said "We are seeking to build a 'knowledge based economy' which will give our people and businesses the skills to succeed in today's and tomorrow's world."

Cllr Graham Gubby, Leader of Rother District Council said, "This meeting has produced the foundations for real prospects of redevelopment and regeneration. Lord Falconer's response recognises that we have put together an environmentally sensitive package that will empower the livelihoods of residents in Rother and Hastings for years to come."

Cllr Jeremy Birch, Leader of Hastings Borough Council said, "This package could represent the greatest opportunity our town will have for regeneration and all round revival. At last we seem to be getting the concentrated attention regionally and nationally that Hastings deserves."