The following exciting and fully costed proposal has been put forward to the Town Deal Board. 

Link at bottom to recent article in Hip - Hastings Independent Press

https://m.facebook.com/groups/301737300488168?tsid=0.5721166385149639&source=result

Project Name: West Marina

Project Proposer: West St Leonards Forum, the West Marina Group, and Save Our Bathing Pool Site (SOBS)

Email address: c/o Virginia Vilela virginiawrightuk@yahoo.co.uk

Council Ward(s):
West St Leonards, Maze Hill and Central St Leonards

Project Aim:
To create the physical, cultural and commercial foundations for the resurgence of West Marina as a vibrant coastal neighbourhood centre and visitor destination.

Project Summary
The Project Proposers will work with local business, sports and cultural communities to establish and progress “meantime” environmental improvements and a series of sports and arts events using existing and other “pop-up” facilities to promote activity in and longer term regeneration of West Marina. The Proposers and partners will in parallel prepare a business development/action area plan with fully worked up project propositions for permanent investment and funding bids. A locally representative managing board will work with a part-time community coordinator and draw on technical advice from appropriate local experts. A pop-up shop/office will be established as focal point for West Marina regeneration.

Outputs
1. A series of “mini-festivals” utilising a mix of small indoor and larger outdoor performance spaces. These could include:
• Westmarine an open air event celebrating and promoting awareness of the potential of the Marine Conservation Area for tourism, sustainable fishing and aquaculture, wildlife protection and underwater archaeology.
• Westwednesday a series of indoor and outdoor musical and theatrical events e.g. a chess tournament using human pieces.
• Westweekend celebrating, in particular, water-based recreational activities.
• Westgallery as part of the Southern Arts open days.
2. A demountable or “pop-up” swimming pool, a “pop up” performance space and a “pop-up” sports education facility on the former bathing pool site and equipment for seasonal off-shore recreation such as diving rafts.
3. Temporary awnings, seating, sound systems and screens for outdoor events.
4. Beach showers, changing screens, bike/e-scooter stands, a lifeguard stand and secure out-of-season storage space for equipment.
5. Tourist information boards about current attractions and past history of the area.
6. Street scene improvements to the Bo Peep shopping parade and along the West Marina seafront and Cinque Ports Way, including a support fund for decorating materials.
7. “Meantime” landscaping of the bathing pool site including raised beds, seating, waste bins.
8. “Meantime” re-organisation including bike/e-scooter stands and upgrading of the appearance of the Keats Close and Carpetland car parks.
9. Traffic calming on Bexhill Road and Grosvenor Gardens.
10. Signage and footway improvements to and from West St Leonards station.
11. Re-positioning of bus stops and advance signage.
12. A detailed Business Development and Action Area Plan based on detailed engagement with local businesses and residents, and existing and potential visitors to and users of the area leading to ….
13. A set of detailed, costed longer term projects with local and institutional support for the permanent regeneration of West Marina. These are not part of the current bid but might include:
• A managed, balanced and appropriate phasing of new housing development on brownfield sites across the area.
• Support to existing and new small business, craft studios and other workshops in Caves Road and Seaside Road.
• Support to existing and new guest houses in the area.
• A series of new permanent recreational and leisure facilities within the former bathing pool site, West Marina Gardens and in/on the adjoining sea including a keynote attraction or attractions such as a saltwater open air pool, an active creation of a full-size copy of the Amsterdam, a sculpture garden, a permanent outdoor music or theatre space.
• Reopening of access to the Brighton/Ashford rail services, by re-using the West Marina Station platforms or extending West St Leonards Station.
• Creation of a permanent mixed pedestrian and short-term parking plaza between West Hill Road, the Bo Peep Public House and the Bexhill Road shops.
• Stabilisation of the Caves Road cliff and wildlife area and re-opening of the Sussex Steps, a key pedestrian route between the seafront and housing.
• Support to “little and often” seafront public transport.

Alignment
The proposals:
• Complement the current Local Plan Review including identifying and specifying in more detail appropriate sites for housing and small enterprises.
• Draw upon recent forums and surveys held for the creation of a proposed Neighbourhood Forum and Plan, in particular recognising and building on existing assets and activities in the area and proposing environmental improvements.
• Fit with the Borough Council’s Seafront and other policies on, for example, housing, recreation and climate change.
• Fit with County Council Transport polices in respect of pedestrians, cycling and public transport.
• Contribute to the objectives of the most recent SELEP “Economic Prospectus for The South East Coast” Notably in promoting and improving access to coastal assets.
• Contribute to wider understanding and engagement with the objectives of the Marine Conservation Area.
• Support Public Health objectives in encouraging recreation.
• Increase flexibility for holding indoor and outdoor cultural and sporting activities.

Outcomes
• Visual improvements to the local environment.
• Improved health outcomes.
• Improved economic benefits from use of local shops, guest houses and other facilities creating more jobs.
• Improved recreation facilities.
• Increased cultural value.
• Increased community cohesion.

Outcome Indicators
• Visitor footfall and use of recreational/cultural spaces in West Marina but also as an addition to overall Hastings (and 1066 Country) visitor numbers.
• Footfall in local shops and pubs.
• Improved business turnover.
• Passenger traffic at W St Leonards Station and on local buses.
• Increased and active community participation in management of the area.
• Visitor and resident satisfaction surveys.
• Health indicators.

Project fit with town deal priorities:
� Local transport
Digital connectivity
� Urban regeneration, planning and land use
� Arts, culture and heritage
� Skills infrastructure
� Enterprise infrastructure

Capital/revenue split

[See below]

Any (potential) matching funding other than that of Town Deal
ESCC/DfT A separate bid for funding has been submitted via the County Council to the DfT Encouraging Cycling and Walking Fund for the Sussex Steps restoration.
Locality to support preparatory work (already supporting neighbourhood plan work).
SELEP ref preparation for and eventual funding of coastal regeneration projects.
DfT and Network Rail ref. preparation for and eventual funding of station upgrading.
Homes England ref. planning for and eventual support for housing projects.
Sport England ref. recreational investments.
Arts Council ref. cultural investments.
IFCA Sussex and DEFRA ref. engagement with the Marine Conservation Area.

At what development stage is your project?
� Concept design and costings
Detailed design and costings
Pre-planning
Planning secured

Any identified (potential) partners that could support delivery?
• The Coastal Users Group and partner organisations.
• The Foreshore Trust.
• Businesses in the West Marina area.
• Local sports groups and Hastings Half Marathon and Park Run.
• St Leonards Town Team.
• Love Hastings.
• The University of Brighton.
• Southern Arts and other local arts and theatrical groups.
• RNLI and Beach Patrol.
• Hastings and Rother CCG.

Capital/Revenue split

A demountable or “pop-up” swimming pool (see e.g. Yate 18m x 10m) £50,000
A “pop up” performance space/sports education space £20,000
Equipment for seasonal off-shore recreation: example diving rafts £15,000
Awnings, seating, sound systems and screens for outdoor events £20,000
Beach showers (2 sets) £5,000
Changing screens £2,500
A lifeguard stand £5,000
Secure out-of-season storage space for equipment (fencing and CCTV) £10,000
Tourist information boards about current attractions and past history of the area £8,000
Street scene improvements to the Bo Peep shopping parade
and along the West Marina seafront and Cinque Ports Way,
including a support fund for decorating materials. £25,000
“Meantime” landscaping of the bathing pool site
including raised beds, seating, waste bins £35,000
“Meantime” re-organisation and upgrading of the
appearance of the Keats Close and Carpetland car parks. £15,000
Signage and footway improvements to and from West St Leonards station. £20,000
Re-positioning of bus stops and advance signage. £25,000

Capital: £255,500

“Mini-festivals” (say 4 x 2 years) at £10,000 per time* £80,000
*Assumes that use of the bathing pool site would be without charge.
Part-time project manager for (say) 2 years £30,000
Technical consultancy time £20,000
Pop-up shop: (possibly rent free) running costs for 2 years: £10,000
Traffic calming on Bexhill Road and Grosvenor Gardens (signage, public notices) £5,000
An Action Area and Business Development Area Plan and Project Proposals £25,000

Revenue: £170,000
NB Some of these costs could be re-interpreted
as Capital (introductory support) costs.

Total: £425,500