This is when major St Leonards housing development will be completed

The site where Ashdown House once stood is currently being redeveloped to include 151 new homes and a new Aldi supermarket building.

Demolition of Ashdown House, which was formerly used by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) and other businesses, started in January 2023 and was completed by June.

Plans for the mixed use development scheme on land between Sedlescombe Road North and Harrow Lane were given the go-ahead by Hastings Borough Council in January 2022.

The development was expected to be completed at the end of last year.

However Chartway Group, the Maidstone-based company that is carrying out the construction, has given a new date.

A spokesperson for Chartway said: “Work on the site at the former Ashdown House is progressing well and is anticipated to be completed late spring.

“On completion, the site will provide much needed homes for the area including new affordable rented homes. We look forward to working with our partners to welcome local residents to move into their new homes in the coming months.”

Plans for the new Aldi store were announced in September 2021 as part of the redevelopment, with up to 50 jobs are expected to be created as a result.

Last month Chartway submitted an application to Hastings Borough Council seeking permission to create two additional apartments within its 151-home development at the former Ashdown House site.

The two additional homes would be created by converting space originally intended to be used as a community centre.

The developer said it was unsuccessful in finding a user for the community space, which occupies part of the ground floor of a three-storey apartment building known as Block One.

Work on the major development suffered a setback in early May last year when an explosive shell was discovered.

Surrounding buildings were evacuated as The Ministry of Defence sent its explosive ordnance disposal team to safely detonate the 105mm (4.13in) shell.