Next Wave project breaks new ground

Rother District Council chairman, Councillor Martin Mooney and leader, Cllr Christopher Starnes were joined by the Mayor, Cllr Bridget George, to cut the first turfs in a ground-breaking ceremony on West Parade.

A crowd of onlookers, including representatives from Bexhill Rowing Club, Bexhill Museum, the De La Warr Pavilion and local children, witnessed the symbolic event in warm Spring sunshine.

Site preparation work will now begin, with work proper due to start towards the end of April.

The Next Wave project is funded by Rother District Council and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), which provided a 1million grant '“ the maximum amount for such a scheme.

Next Wave aims to improve the seafront for both visitors and residents. Key features include refurbishment of the Grade II listed Colonnade, a large community park and a new building for Bexhill Rowing Club.

There will also be landscaping, increased seating, resurfacing and installation of new seafront shelters and a kiosk.

Initial efforts will concentrate on the West Parade promenade, with contractors moving on to the Colonnade and Metropole Lawn in the autumn and winter.

Next Wave is part of a larger regeneration package being provided by Rother District Council which includes the refurbished and extended Bexhill Museum, a reinvigorated Egerton Park and the 3.5million Sidley Goods Yard scheme.

Cllr Christopher Starnes, said: "As one of the great planned seaside resorts, the seafront at Bexhill has always been the town's greatest cultural asset and fundamental to why people have visited, lived and invested in the town over the last hundred years.

"The Next Wave project capitalises on the De La Warr Pavilion, to place the seafront at the centre of Rother District Council's regeneration proposals for the town and wider district.

"I firmly believe that this project will attract many new visitors to our district, will generate repeat visits and will lead to our regular visitors becoming new residents and creating new businesses."

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, lead consultants HTA gave a guided tour of the site to help those present visualise what the seafront will look like once work is completed.

More information on Next Wave and updates on progress can be found by logging on to: www.next-wave.org.uk The project can also be followed on Twitter at NEXTWAVE_RDC