Handrail decision deferred for the Colonnade

The design is for balustrade railing guarding a drop from the Metropole Lawn to some stairs leading down to the promenade.

Bushes currently acting as a barrier are set to be removed as part of the major excavation work due to start on the Colonnade by October.

The planning application was deferred by Rother District Council yesterday (Thursday) as councillors demanded more information about the design, which currently features glass paenels set into stainless steel railings.

Cllr Wendy Miers said: "I was surprised that it was that sort of design. Are you assured that it will fit with what is there?"

Cllr Deirdre Williams said: "Can you imagine little sticky fingers on the glass? It's going to look a mess. They are going to have to clean it all the time and that will look awful."

Cllr Patrick Douart said he was concerned about vandals damaging the glass.

Planning officer Andy Rowland told councillors he would ask for a sample of the glass, "but nothing is 100 per cent vandal resistant.

"We were trying to get uniformity throughout the scheme. The idea of glass is it doesn't draw attention to itself."