£24 million regeneration to ‘create Hastings jobs and vibrant town centre’

Hastings town centre SUS-210517-143954001Hastings town centre SUS-210517-143954001
Hastings town centre SUS-210517-143954001
Hastings has been awarded £24.3m to ‘boost the local economy, create jobs and improve local skills’.

The announcement was made by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick today (Tuesday, June 8).

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He said: “This deal is great news for Hastings and the county. It will improve connectivity across the town, support green businesses and create a vibrant and attractive town centre.”

The Government’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the ‘multi-million pound’ investment will ‘help to transform the town, making it a more attractive place to live and work’.

Hastings’ £24.3m investment also includes a new green and Low Carbon Centre of Excellence that will provide new commercial space.

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The funding will also be used to upgrade the Hastings Castle visitor experience and create new walking and cycling routes in the town centre.

The money is from the Government’s £3.6bn Towns Fund.

Today’s announcement responds to a locally-led proposal put forward by Hastings Borough Council and the Town Deal Board with representation from business, the community, public sectors and local MPs.

In England, 101 places were selected to develop proposals for Town Deals. Proposals were submitted to the Government, where they were reviewed by officials, with final decisions taken by ministers.

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Carole Dixon, co-chairman of Hastings Town Deal Board, said: “We are grateful that the Government saw the regeneration opportunities these proposals offer our seaside town and we are delighted with the news that Hastings has been successful in being awarded £24.3m funding through the Towns Fund.

“£24.3m is a significant amount, and we are excited to be able to use this to enable the successful projects to come to life. Helping to regenerate our town and creating more opportunities for businesses and residents sits at the heart of the bid.

“Although this is a huge step in the process, the hard work is just beginning. Over the next 12 months, business cases for each project will need to be developed and submitted to government for approval. It is only then that the funding will be released, and work can start.”

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Graham Peters, co-chairman of Hastings Town Deal Board, said: “The programme which was built around seven project themes offers Hastings incredible and exciting opportunities to drive forward sustainable growth and prosperity.

“Hastings will continue to thrive as a healthy, vibrant, and quirky seaside town that people love to visit, live, and work in.

“Everyone involved has put in great energy to develop the Town Investment Plan. We saw over 150 innovative ideas through the open call for expression of interest process: these were independently assessed against government criteria to ensure they met the brief for the funding.”

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Cllr Paul Barnett, deputy leader of Hastings Borough Council, said: “This amounts to a remarkable £100m+ investment in Hastings and demonstrates the confidence that the Government, private sector and local community organisations have in transforming our economic and cultural offer.

“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has been involved in this process. This includes those on the Town Deal board who have worked incredibly hard to secure this funding, as well as local organisations and residents who submitted their regeneration ideas for the town.

“This offers our whole town great prospects and is exactly the boost our local economy needs, following the huge impact that has been felt by Covid-19.”