Hastings: Plan to turn former University of Brighton and Post Office buildings in town centre into flats

Stonegate Homes (Hastings) Ltd submitted an application to Hastings Borough Council to convert the 1930s building in Cambridge Road and the former university building, which was built into 2013, into 41 apartments.

It also said the ground floor of the Post Office building will be returned to commercial use.

There are also proposals to build a single-storey mansard roof extension above the former post office at fourth floor level and the building of a single-storey roof extension above the former university site at fifth floor level for residential use.

A mansard roof extension involves modifying the upper portion of a building to create additional living space by altering the roof into a steeply sloped structure with windows.

A design and access statement by Sawkings Architects, on behalf of the developers said: “The Priory Square building was built in 2013, and is made up of the original 1930s Post Office building fronting Cambridge Road, and an extension overlooking Priory Square.

“The Priory Square building is undoubtedly of high quality and a unique asset to the town of Hastings. At just over 10 years old, it has been a fairly recent addition to the townscape, however, its intended educational use has failed to be successful and stood vacant, seeking a mixed use in order to ensure success in the next stage of its life.

“Luckily, as the building has been designed to a high standard with adaptability in mind, it lends itself to becoming a mixed use building. The intention being that diversifying its use as a building will secure its financial future and it will continue to be a part of the centre of Hastings for years to come.

“The provision of housing in urban centres is much-needed to drive down the need for carbon-based transport, putting people amongst the things they need like employment, education, shopping, culture, leisure and entertainment reduces the need for people to travel and promotes more of a pre-industrial town model.

“Commercial areas are proposed to the lower ground floor, with links to the civic square in the north. The ground floor of the existing post office to Cambridge Road will be returned to a commercial activity to reactivate this historic frontage with commerce.

“The naturally lit atrium is to be retained and to continue to be the heart of the building with access provided to the residential and creating a communal winter garden.

Residential usage is proposed to the upper floors, creating high-quality centrally located, much-needed housing for the town.”

The Post Office closed its Cambridge Road office in 2013 and moved it to the WH Smith branch in the town centre.

The University of Brighton closed the Priory Square building and its other two sites in town in 2019. The Hastings campus opened in 2003 and received £12m of public investment.