RESIDENTS are asked to put in their views on a scheme which could see Hastings town centre becoming a greener and biodiverse place.
East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council and the Hastings Garden Town Team, supported by Transition Town Hastings, are working on plans which include greener connections for walking and cycling through the town and seafront, as well as improvements to public spaces.
The Public Realm and Green Connections project aims to complement the heritage of Hastings, creating spaces of public realm encouraging people to spend time and promoting wellbeing.
Fergus Garrett, chief executive and head gardener of the Great Dixter Charitable Trust and Nicole Collomb, local landscape architect, both from Hastings Garden Town Team said: “This project will see the implementation of new trees, plants and flowers, bringing the natural environment into the town centre, through the planting of beautiful resilient horticulture that is cost-effective, simple to maintain, beneficial to wildlife and well-being, as well as mitigating flooding.”
East Sussex County Council has now appointed design consultants, Arup, to work with partners to design and manage the green spaces, employing nature-based solutions to contribute to the town’s resilience to current and future environmental challenges by cooling, draining, cleaning and greening the town.
Graham Peters, chairman of the Hastings Town Deal Board, said: “I am excited to learn that Arup’s appointment has been confirmed and I look forward to seeing their extensive plans which will have a transformational impact on the town centre, radically increasing biodiversity and encourage visitors to engage with the town centre when making their journey to the seafront and promote wellbeing for residents and visitors.”
Members of the public can view proposals and give their views via the East Sussex Consultation Hub https://consultation.eastsussex.gov.uk/economy-transport-environment/hastingsgreenconnections
The consultation ends on Friday, March 1.
Consultation events will be held for anyone wanting to find out more about the project and discuss the proposals with the project team. These drop in sessions will be held on:
- Saturday, January 27 at Priory Meadow Shopping Centre from 10am to 4pm
- Tuesday, February 6 at Priory Meadow Shopping Centre from 12pm to 5pm
- Wednesday, February 21 at ASDA in Battle Road from 1pm to 3.30pm
- Wednesday, February 21 at Tesco in Church Wood Drive from 4pm to 6pm
In 2021 Hastings was one of 101 UK towns to receive a share of the Government’s Towns Fund to regenerate the town with funding of £24.3 million.
The Town Deal Board has allocated £10 million of Town Deal money to support this project.
More information on the project can be found at www.hastingstowndeal.co.uk/town-centre-public-realm-green-connections
