Hastings Priory Street car park redevelopment - ‘Where will parking be provided if this goes?’

Hastings Borough Council has unveiled a series of development options for the Priory Street multi-storey car park and adjacent areas.

The authority added that it will be reviewing a range of mixed-uses including the possibility of a commercial leisure offer, wet leisure centre, cultural hub and residential units.

But readers on the Observer’s Facebook page have raised concerns over the potential loss of parking, which they said was already at a premium in town.

Beverley Logan said: “Great to have anything exciting come to Hastings town. That’s brilliant. My only question would be where does everyone park then who use the car park and has done for years. No good thinking Priory Meadow as that’s always full anyway.”

Nick Deerwork said: “Where will parking be provided if this goes?”

Philippa Read said: “There’s hundreds of parking spaces underneath the seafront that’s underutilised. Maybe it needs to be better signposted.”

John Griffin said: “The original plan was to demolish the Post Office sorting office next the Hastings station and build a multi-story car park there, ESK and the Priory Street multi-storey car park was going to be demolished and a new multiplex cinema along, with other shops and leisure facilities was going to replace the existing buildings.

“But as usual it will take Hastings Council many years to come to any decision, which by then yet another plan will be put in place, after of course consulting with yet even more consultants at considerable cost to the people of Hastings.”

Barbara Smith said: “If we want visitors in our town then we need parking. There’s not a lot of parking in Hastings as it is.”

Julie Taylor said: “Will they be providing somewhere for people to park elsewhere?”

Marc Ricketts said: “I don’t know if they will close the car park down. But everybody is entitled to have a vehicle to get around, especially if the public transport is very poor or if there is no public transport at all in that neighbourhood.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “We are in the early stages of the project and any decision regarding the site’s development will need to take into consideration the scheme’s financial viability and public and stakeholder engagement.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Hastings and has the potential to deliver significant benefits for our town.”

The council said the scheme is being delivered as part of the Hastings Town Deal.

The Town Deal is a £24.4 million grant from the UK Government to support regeneration, with Hastings being one of 101 towns to receive a share of the funding.