Campaigners call for 'urgent action' to prevent 'catastrophic loss' of St Leonards convent building
Campaigners say they are issuing an 'urgent call to action' to prevent the 'catastrophic loss' of a St Leonards building.
The Convent Project wants steps taken to protect the Convent of the Holy Child Jesus, a Gothic Revival building in Magdalen Road.
The derelict site has become a hotspot for vandalism, break-ins, and structural decay, campaigners said.
A spokesperson said: “The Convent Project is demanding that Hastings Borough Council and Historic England step in immediately to ensure the site's owners secure the perimeter before a catastrophic arson attack destroys it.
“The site features the Grade II* listed St Michael’s Chapel, designed by Edward Welby Pugin. His father, Augustus Pugin, was the legendary architect who designed the interior of the Houses of Parliament and the world-famous clock tower housing Big Ben.
“For years, the site was used only three months out of the year as a seasonal campus for a Spanish language school, sitting cold, unheated, and vulnerable for the other nine months. Since its closure in 2022 however, the situation has rapidly deteriorated.
“Residents and campaign members monitoring the complex have reported a sharp spike in trespassers, smashed windows, breached security fences, and anti-social behaviour.
“Beyond the immediate fire risk, local advocates tracking the convent's history point to severe physical neglect.
“Due to its elevated position on the south coast, the complex carries the additional burden of being heavily exposed to punishing, salt-laden southwestern winds. Without urgent repairs, the beautiful but delicate local soft-sandstone buildings and boundary walls are actively being eaten away by spreading wet and dry rot.”
Campaigners are demanding the boarding up of all vulnerable entry points, CCTV, urgent structural reinforcement, and a council-backed directive to turn the site into a 'protected community asset'.
A council spokesperson said: “The former convent site in Magdalen Road, St Leonards, is privately owned and remains unsafe. The buildings are in a dangerous condition and the site contains a range of known and potential hazards, including areas where asbestos-containing materials are known or suspected to be present.
“The council shares residents’ concerns about unauthorised access, anti-social behaviour, fire risk and the continuing deterioration of the site. Our immediate priority is public safety, securing the site, reducing fire and access risks, and preventing further damage to the listed buildings.
“The council is actively engaging with the owner / receiver side, emergency services, Historic England and other partners in relation to site safety, security and heritage protection. We have made clear that the current position is not acceptable and that further action is needed to secure the site properly.
“The council is keeping all relevant legal options under review, including any potential use of statutory powers. We are also progressing contingency options in parallel, but we would not comment in detail on live legal, procurement or operational discussions while these matters are under active consideration.”
A Historic England spokesperson said: “We're acutely aware of the dangerous, deteriorating conditions at the former convent site in Magdalen Road and we're really concerned about it. We recognise how strongly local people feel about this site and we're working hard with the council to explore all options to prevent the loss of these buildings.”