By Huw Oxburgh, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporter
Council plans to build town centre apartments in Eastbourne on the site of the former magistrates’ court are now open for comment.
In a planning application validated last week, Eastbourne Borough Council has put forward fresh proposals to build housing on the site in Old Orchard Road.
The council’s application proposes a three to four-storey apartment block containing 30 one and two-bedroom apartments on the site, which has already been cleared.
A statement submitted as part of the application reads: “The proposal would provide 30 units of much-needed housing in a sustainable location, meeting all three arms of sustainable development: social, economic, and environmental.
“It will provide housing for those most in housing need, including those eligible for affordable housing. It will create economic activity during construction and provide job opportunities for future occupants due to the site’s location within easy access to the town centre and the various job opportunities available there.
“Finally, it will greatly increase the value of the site for wildlife, providing net gain. It will reduce occupants’ need to travel by modes other than walking, cycling and public transport, which has positive effects on the local environment.”
The council goes on to say how it intends for all the apartments to be ‘affordable’, despite only 40 per cent – 12 apartments – being secured on this basis through conditions. The application notes how the remainder of the affordable housing delivery will be voluntary on the part of the developer and will rely on funding from the Homes and Communities Agency and the council itself.
The application also says the apartments would each be provided with private outdoor space in the form of balconies, along with landscaped communal gardens at the rear of the building.
The proposed building would have only two parking spaces for residents, both designated for residents of ‘accessible units’ intended for ‘mobility impaired’ residents. The council argues this is an appropriate amount of parking as the proposed building would be in a highly sustainable area with good public transport links. The building would also have 70 cycle parking spaces on site.
For further information, see application reference 240418 on the Eastbourne Borough Council website.
:: Main image courtesy Miller Bourne Architects
