SPOTLIGHT: Solar panels on Eastbourne Levels given go ahead
By Rebecca Maer Solar panels will be installed across an agricultural flood plain either side of the railway track into Eastbourne after councillors approved the scheme. They voted narrowly in favour – with three for, two against and one absention – after the scheme was discussed at last night’s Eastbourne Borough Council planning meeting. The […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Sovereign Harbour flats scheme still too big, say councillors
By Rebecca Maer A controversial retirement scheme planned for Sovereign Harbour was last night deferred for the second time as councillors dug their heels in over the scale of the design, rejecting a recommendation to approve it. The original plan for three blocks at Martinique Way at the edge of a shingle beach has already […]
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SPOTLIGHT: When is Fort Fun re-opening?
Prominent seafront site Fort Fun is on the verge of partially re-opening with the revamped indoor play area. The company developing the site is about to finally sign a five-year lease with Eastbourne Borough Council. The refurbishment has been dogged by legal delays and repeated anti-social behaviour at the former fun park. Vandals have […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Controversial flats plan reduced by just one storey
A controversial seven-storey “oversized” coastal retirement scheme will be lowered by just one floor, according to a revised planning application. The new plan for the plot on the western edge of Sovereign Harbour also reduces the number of apartments by eight to 128 and changes the appearance of the building. But the residents’ association would […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Government £20 million town fund for Eastbourne at risk after election
The only guarantee that Eastbourne would receive a promised £20 million over the next ten years is if there is a Conservative MP in the town and a Conservative government after the general election, a hustings meeting heard. In contrast, the Labour candidate called the Government’s Towns Fund “an absolutely corrupt scheme” and said it […]
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SPOTLIGHT: How green are our general election candidates?
All six candidates in Eastbourne standing in the general election were put through their paces at an environmental hustings meeting in the town last night. They answered questions on improving public transport, cycling and walking routes, on clean energy and on sea water quality. Organiser Gem Aellah, chair of Bespoke Cycle Group, told the meeting […]
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No news is bad news – the future of the Eastbourne Reporter is in your hands
The Eastbourne Reporter has interviewed a huge range of people to produce around 100 news features in the last two years which shine a light on our town. You will not read anything like these anywhere else; the features are based on extensive research and the essence of journalism – asking questions. The features are […]
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SPOTLIGHT: More doctors, easier booking and better phone system promised by GP surgery
Four more doctors are joining the Victoria Medical Centre in Old Town to help address the huge problems patients face in trying to see a GP. The centre is also pledging to release non-urgent appointments more frequently and would mke them available every three days to make it easier to book ahead. And, in an […]
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SPOTLIGHT: An artist’s view of the Turner Prize legacy
The arrival of the prestigious Turner Prize in Eastbourne attracted worldwide attention and drew thousands of visitors to see the work of four artists at the Towner gallery. But beyond the whirl of activity and the televised prize ceremony, there have been projects involving the people of Eastbourne running quietly in the background. One of […]
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SPOTLIGHT: The fight for an appointment at the Victoria Medical Centre
When Shereen Soliman’s mother-in-law was staying with her in Staffordshire, she wanted to see her own doctor in Eastbourne at the Victoria Medical Centre (VMC) about her chronic lung condition. So Shereen, 39, drove her mother-in-law, who wants to remain anonymous, 230 miles back to the East Sussex coast, only to find she could not get […]
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