Developer’s plan for St Leonards supermarket, 148 homes and community centre revealed

Danescroft is proposing to build the houses and two facilities at Ashdown House in Sedlescombe Road North.

Ashdown House is currently home to the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP), and other businesses.

However, the DWP is moving to new offices elsewhere in Hastings in early 2021 and a new use needs to be found for the site, Danescroft said.

The previous owners of the site gained a PDR (Permitted Development Rights) consent in June 2019 for the conversion of the office space into residential units.

These proposals would have converted the six-storey office block into 246 studio, one- and two-bed apartments, with no substantial amends to the outside of the building.

The previous proposals were criticised heavily by Hastings Borough Council.

Chris Jasper, from Danescroft, said: “We do not believe that the proposal for 246 homes makes the most appropriate use of the site.

“Instead we will be proposing to demolish the existing buildings and to bring the entirety of the site back into beneficial use, bringing jobs and homes to the local community.

“We believe our development, which includes 148 new houses and apartments across the site, a new discount supermarket and a new community centre to replace the existing Civil Service Sports Club, will bring much needed homes and employment to the area while revitalised this brown field site.

“We have been discussing our proposals with Hastings Borough Council for a number of months and are now ready to present them to the public to receive feedback, before submitting a planning application.”

The plans are available to view at www.ashdownhousehastings.co.uk or by calling a member of the project team on 0800 689 5209 and asking for a copy to be posted.

The consultation period is open until midnight on Sunday, December 6.

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