Hex News Team Archery Gardens is an almost-completed housing development in St Leonards. It used to have Hastings College on the site, and before that it was Victorian landscaping with some fancy houses. The 117 homes we see now on the site were built by local Battle-based developer Gemselect, in partnership with one of the…
Housing
Who Runs This Town? Communities Vs Developers
Grace L One year after taking charge of Hastings Council many of our local councillors look ready to throw in the towel. Residents turned up to the 9 June meeting of the council cabinet (the leading members of council) to demand answers about the old Bathing Pool site and Sandrock Bends – two incredibly unpopular…
“It’s like being in prison”
Grace L Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is being asked to review how they support disabled residents into suitable accommodation, after a disabled woman revealed she has been in temporary accommodation for three years that has no wheelchair access onto the street. She is now being moved to another property where she won’t even be able…
Stand up for wildlife and stop town centre flooding
Jane Ripley Recently I went to the Save Sandrock Bends campaign, who held a public meeting on the proposed development of the beautiful and biodiverse site on the corner opposite the Conquerors March on The Ridge, for where an Outline Planning Application has recently been made. I went on behalf of our group Standing up…
Southern Housing: destroying homes at any cost
Grace L and Merlin Betts On 12 February Lucie Lambourne’s mother was murdered in their family home in Bexhill. The man arrested for the crime has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial in August. But as the results of this tragedy continue to unfold, Southern Housing wants to take Lucie’s family home, and sell it…
Sheltered accommodation in a building site?
Simon Lee, secretary of Hastings Area Southern Housing Tenants’ Association, describes the chaos unfolding as Southern Housing repair Bevin Court so it can be demolished. Shirley lives a quiet life on the tenth floor. She loves her neighbours and often has her meals with Jennifer and Brian who live a few floors lower. Their support…
Alternatives to New Build
Grace Lally Shared from Hastings Extinction Rebellion, summarising points Grace made at a public discussion on 5 October 2024. Environment v Housing Need? Why do we NEED to build new housing? REAL reasons to build new housing? Myth 1: New houses are more sustainable Other environmental impacts of construction Myth 2: We have a shortage…
Ancient Woodland Proposed for Private Housing
Merlin Betts Sandrock Bends, an ancient woodland and wildlife corridor to Sussex Weald, is being considered for housing by a private developer. Campaign group Save Sandrock Bends (SSB) say that the terrain and water infrastructure cannot cope with the removal of plants and building of houses, with their foundations and sewage needs. They suggest that…
Orbit: emptying and destroying homes during a housing crisis
Merlin Betts Hey reader. I’ve gone a bit rogue here and written you a 4,000 word article. I realise in this day and age that makes it less appealing to read. I’ll probably break down parts of it into other shorter articles, but in the meantime this is my best attempt at a proper overview…
Diary of a Four Courts Tenant
Sharon Moore writes about the upheaval and mixed emotions surrounding Southern Housing’s sudden demolition announcement. Four courts or not Four Courts? That is apparently not the question. Imagine our surprise when, Tuesday 18 February, with no prior notice or consultation, everyone in Bevin Court had a pamphlet pushed through the door telling us, they –…