Seafront Improvement plan

ALMOST half the people who responded to the consultation on Rother's controversial seafront regeneration scheme believe it will be unsuccessful.

But the results of the public exhibition on the 'Next Wave' proposals show a generational split.

The seafront improvement plan includes an extending and enlarging of the Colonnade to provide for the evening economy, as well as other steps to develop the promenade.

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A report to be put before the district council services overview and scrutiny committee on Monday, will show 47.8 per cent of respondents thought negatively about Rother's 5.1m vision.

Just over a third consider the overall scheme will be successful in its aims, with nearly 19 per cent having no strong feelings.

But officers say the 823 forms completed either at the De La Warr Pavilion exhibition, the Community Help Point or online are not reflective of Bexhill's whole population.

Around 64 per cent of responses came from people aged over 60, who make up over 41 per cent of Bexhill's population.

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The report notes young people were far more positive about the proposals - almost two out of three in their twenties and thirties backed the scheme.

Members will be told the younger age ranges are not fully represented in the exhibition feedback.

The report suggests elderly people are more likely to take part in consultations or the format of the consultation may have been responsible.

It adds: "It is significant because in analysing the responses by age it became clear the younger the respondent, the more likely they were to be positive about the proposals."

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Proposals for the Colonnade were found to be unsuccessful by over half of those who responded. One third were positive about the possible changes.

However the majority wanted to see cafes, restaurants or bars at the site.

Plans to rehouse the rowing club in larger premises and change access to the promenade met with favour, having been considered successful by over half of respondents.

A scheme to alter Marina Court Avenue met with an even split of opinion between those who considered the design successful and those who did not.

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An equal split existed too on the idea of a boulevard being created.

The largest knock-back was for the idea of new shelters, with 67.2 per cent responding negatively.

The report says: "Most comments seem to refer to specific design issues and it is certainly possible the earlier adverse publicity surrounding the shelters, including the survey by the Save Our Seafront group (which had focussed on the removal of the Edwardian shelters, which was never the intention) may have had an influence on people's opinions."

In his conclusion, director of services Tony Leonard will tell members: "The overall response to the exhibition was more positive than one might have expected from the adverse nature of much of the local media publicity and lobbying prior to the exhibition.

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"Any change, particularly to a well-used amenity such as the seafront, is likely to be met with some resistance and understandable concern that familiar features will be lost or 'spoilt'.

"However, there was a significant proportion, particularly from the younger age groups, that supported change.

"The 'Next Wave' proposals are in truth relatively modest changes to the public realm, for the purpose of enhancing the seafront as one of Bexhill's principal assets. They do not represent a major change to the character and feel of the seafront."