Marina Arcade plans

AN AMBITIOUS plan for the regeneration of Marina Arcade is being discussed by residents and council officers.

Rother District Council has already hired architects to draw up "imaginative" proposals for the seafront site after meetings with property owners.

Rother head of regeneration Graham Burgess says he expects "two or three" conceptual pieces to be available examination by July.

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No drawings have yet been released but the plans could include shops and restaurants with the possibility of a covered arcade area.

Mr Burgess said he wanted to avoid "a game of Chinese whispers" where members of the public receive conflicting information about the project.

Property owners will be asked which elements of architects proposals' they would like to see in place and any development would rely on their support.

Mr Burgess said: "The plan is to create more opportunities and more activities to complement what is going on at the De La Warr Pavilion and provide a link to the town centre itself. We want to create more activities with shops, restaurants and support for the evening economy.

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"We are keen to avoid the rumour mill, being what it is in Bexhill, and games of Chinese whispers. There are sensitivities around the seafront and I don't want people getting the wrong end of the stick as to what we are trying to achieve. It's conceptual at this stage. I'm not going to show you designs because we are still working with the people of Marina Arcade and Channel View. Once we have a concept to work with two or three designs will be in the public domain. After that it will be very much up to the residents there themselves to take it forward."

Architects, John D. Clarke and Partners, have been employed using SEEDA money and have researched the history of the site to complement any ideas.

Structural engineers, Stephen Wilson Partnership, have also been hired.

Marina resident Heather Smart believes the plans will benefit Bexhill as a whole.

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"Residents are so keen. The council are bending over backwards to do something for Bexhill. It will be something for young people and families."

Mr Burgess said until a final plan had been agreed he could not estimate the cost of the scheme.

He added: "Funding opportunities come and go. We have Heritage funding, Big Lottery funding. Old programmes come to an end and new ones appear on a regular basis. We haven't discussed that too much yet because that's not the stage we are at."

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