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Sea Space to Rejuvenate Large Section of Hastings Town Centre
13 December 2004
Sea Space, the regeneration company established by the Hastings & Bexhill Task Force, is set to redevelop a large section of Hastings town centre.
Transforming the centre of town is a core part of the Task Force's ten-year regeneration programme, as outlined in the master plan it put out to consultation in late 2002. In this latest phase, Sea Space will explore ways to develop the two-hectare area it is terming 'Priory Central'– bounded by Cornwallis Terrace to the north, Cambridge Gardens to the west, Middle Street to the east and Robertson Street to the south. The local community and stakeholders will be involved in helping to develop the proposals.
 The Priory Central area includes Sea Space's existing University Centre Hastings (UCH) premises in Havelock Road and its Creative Media Centre facility in Robertson Street / Cambridge Road . It is adjacent to Sea Space's proposed Hastings Station Plaza development.
The goal in redeveloping the area is to transform the urban environment, creating the business and education premises necessary to revitalise the town centre economy and introducing new links to the main parts of the town.
Priory Central area shown in red
Sea Space's first step, working with partners, stakeholders and community representatives including Hastings Borough Council, the Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment (CABE) and the Castle Ward Forum, has been to appoint, by competitive tender, a multidisciplinary design team led by master planners and urban designers Rummey Design Associates (RDA).
Rummey Design Associates has considerable experience in town centre planning to create high quality education and business spaces. From the New Year, Sea Space will work with the design team, the community and stakeholders to develop ideas for Priory Central which will achieve its economic regeneration goals.
As an early element of the project, Sea Space has acquired a 1,650m 2 derelict site in Havelock Road, for which it is considering development options within the wider context of the Priory Central area.
Councillor Jeremy Birch, Leader of Hastings Borough Council, comments: "I am very pleased with the appointment of Rummey to design this next major regeneration project. They come with an impressive track record, including master planning for the redesign of Coventry city centre. This will stand them in good stead for Priory Central and for the possible early development of the Havelock Road site which is earmarked for a sixth-form college, if the proposed educational changes are approved."
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