£17.2m health, retail and residential plans for town

A £17.2m regeneration project in the heart of Seaford is due to be discussed on Monday (September 17).
The ambitious regeneration scheme centres on the Downs Leisure CentreThe ambitious regeneration scheme centres on the Downs Leisure Centre
The ambitious regeneration scheme centres on the Downs Leisure Centre

Lewes District Council’s Cabinet will consider development proposals at the combined site in Sutton Road known as Downs Leisure Centre.

Members will hear a “strategic opportunity” has arisen to provide a ground-breaking mixed use development of the council’s landholdings at the site.

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The proposed scheme will create new health space, employment opportunities “and a holistic approach to health and well-being for residents”.

Council officers have worked with consultants to develop a proposal which would provide, in addition to the current leisure facilities and residential dwellings:

1A new health hub of approximately 30,000 sq ft

1A new convenience food store of c4,500 sq ft

1Eight two-bedroom apartments above the food store

1Reconfiguration of the leisure centre with a new entrance and offices

1Provision of a grass mini-pitch

1Re-provision of the 60+ Club within the leisure centre

1Extension of the car parking areas to provide a minimum of 270 spaces compared with approximately 106 currently

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1Relocation of the vehicle access point along Sutton Road (southern boundary) and an additional access point in Sutton Drove (northern boundary)

The health hub would provide a combined facility for a number of existing health care facilities that are currently located in challenging premises within Seaford.

Negotiations with the potential occupiers of the health hub are at an advanced stage, who are “very supportive” of the proposals.

The new building would include facilities for 21 GPs with support nursing and admin teams and additional facilities such as operating suites for minor surgery.

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East Sussex Healthcare Trust (ESCHT) would look to provide their community health and out of hospital teams within the hub.

Seaford has a higher than average instance of over-65s (30 per cent compared to 18 per cent nationally) and a high proportion of jobs in the town are in the health and education sectors.