Decision not to sell Tilekin Playing Fields for new Hastings football stadium to be revisited

On Thursday (December 15), councillors voted through a motion calling for a fresh report on the situation surrounding plans from Hastings United Football Club to build a new stadium on the site in Hollington.

The proposed development gained planning permission in June this year, despite the council stating three months earlier it was not intending to sell land — also known as ‘the helipad’ — needed for the scheme to go ahead.

The council’s planning committee had also approved an outline application to build up to 86 homes at The Pilot Field, Hastings United’s current grounds. This development was said to be necessary to fund the stadium plans.

The new report, set to go to the council’s cabinet in the new year, is requested to set out the current situation, assess whether the development plans are viable and what alternative provision may allow the football club to remain in the town.

While the motion was agreed on a majority vote, councillors chose did not undertake any debate following legal advice.

Speaking at the meeting, the council’s chief legal officer Mary Kilner said: “In the light of recent correspondence received from Hastings United Football Club’s solicitors and effectively to avoid any confusion or further misunderstandings, I’m requesting councillors here tonight to refrain from making any comments on … [its] scheme for Pilot Field and Tilekiln.

“As you know this motion here tonight has full cross-party support and it is instructing … the managing director to bring a report back to cabinet, to basically report on whether or not … the scheme is viable to recommend to council.

“It will all come back to cabinet early in the new year, with the report from the managing director.”

After receiving this advice, councillors move immediately to the vote

The motion, from Conservative group leader Andy Patmore and Labour cabinet member John Cannan, had come off the back of a petition calling for the issue to be discussed at cabinet. The petition had gathered more than 1,750 signatures at time of publication.