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Chapter 3: Strategic Objectives

Objective 1:
Achieve and sustain a thriving economy

This will be achieved through:

1a) working with Rother District Council to ensure regeneration in the Hastings/Bexhill area is beneficial to the economy, environment and communities of both towns.

1b) providing for 20,500m2 of retail floorspace in the town centre by 2028

1c) continuing to support and develop the education sector in the town

1d) increasing the supply and range of job opportunities in accessible locations across the town, as part of achieving a more sustainable pattern of development and activity

1e) promoting state of the art telecommunications infrastructure to enable flexible working and to attract investors

1f) reducing the levels of out-commuting by providing more jobs in the town

1g) in collaboration with the business community, retaining employment land and premises throughout the town, together with new educational, research and higher educational facilities, which contribute to the functioning and growth of the local economy

1h) supporting economic development and regeneration with particular emphasis on developing the key economic growth sectors which include hi-tech, knowledge-based and creative industries, manufacturing and the growing finance/insurance sector

1i) allocating and protecting appropriate land for business uses in locations such as the employment areas at Castleham, Churchfields, West Ridge, Ivyhouse Lane, Ponswood and the Queensway Employment Corridor at Queensway

1j) encouraging the redevelopment of older employment areas to meet modern requirements in terms of space, size and service provision and to provide for physical investment and improvement. 1k) ensuring that the jobs created are accessible to the maximum number of the town's residents through transport, education and skills training, particularly within the most deprived areas such as Central St Leonards, Hollington and the Ore Valley

1l) developing Hastings & St Leonards town centres as the focus for employment in the office, retail, leisure, cultural and service sectors, with Hastings town centre being the primary focus

1m) recognising the importance of a healthy, properly functioning natural environment as a foundation for sustained economic growth, as well as prospering communities and personal wellbeing. A good quality natural environment creates opportunities for recreation and leisure and is attractive to people and business investment alike.

Objective 2:
Ensure everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community in which they want to live

This will be achieved through:

2a) providing for at least 3,400 net new dwellings between 2011 - 2028

2b) prioritising new housing on previously developed land to assist regeneration where possible

2c) ensuring an appropriate mix of housing is provided in terms of tenure, price, type, size and location, having regard to the accommodation needs of the town

2d) making decent housing accessible to more people by increasing the provision of affordable housing, having regard to issues such as fuel poverty and improving/regulating the quality of existing accommodation in the town and bringing vacant dwellings back into use

2e) providing more opportunities for people to live in Hastings town centre through identifying opportunities for mixed use schemes and making best use of space above shops, and widening the range of housing available in Central St Leonards, particularly through the provision of good quality affordable housing.

Objective 3:
Safeguard and improve the town's environment

This will be achieved by

3a) protecting, enhancing and improving the quality of the town's biodiversity, and in particular, its sites of international, national, regional and local nature conservation importance through better habitat management

3b) conserving and managing the historic environment for future generations

3c) identifying, protecting and improving a strategic green infrastructure network of green spaces, cycle and pedestrian routes, water and other environmental features, recognising the unique character of its functions

3d) providing open spaces, recreation facilities and streets that are well designed, safe and accessible that satisfy the recreational, health and amenity requirements of the population and visitors

3e) recognising the unique place that the historic environment holds in the town's cultural and maritime heritage and the multiple ways in which it supports and contributes to the economy, society and daily life

3f) minimising and reducing the environmental impacts of development, including water, noise, light and air pollution

3g) ensuring that all development is designed to a high quality, creating buildings and a sense of identity, place and neighbourhood that enhances local character and distinctiveness

3h) ensuring new development only occurs where there is adequate capacity in existing services, facilities and infrastructure or where this capacity can be reasonably provided.

3i) ensuring developments contribute to the national objective of no net loss of biodiversity by requiring developers to show how their proposals will contribute positively to the natural environment and avoid harm to biodiversity, adequately mitigate for unavoidable damage, or as a last resort compensate for unavoidable damage.

Objective 4:
Addressing the impacts of climate change

This will be achieved by:

4a) ensuring that development is located and designed

4b) identifying opportunities for renewable energy and combined heat and power schemes4b) identifying opportunities for renewable energy and combined heat and power schemes

4c) recognising the potential of green infrastructure to help combat the harmful effects of climate change4c) recognising the potential of green infrastructure to help combat the harmful effects of climate change

4d) requiring all development to be designed to include appropriate climate change mitigation and adaptation measures such as green roofs and walls, sustainable drainage systems, multi-functional green space, biodiversity enhancement and protection, waste reduction and recycling facilities and flood risk management

4e) requiring developers to demonstrate how energy efficiency and carbon dioxide reduction is being achieved through their development proposals

Objective 5:
Supporting sustainable communities

This will be achieved by:

5a) working with partners to improve the quality of life in the town - particularly in most deprived neighbourhoods

5b) supporting the hierarchy, vitality and viability of the Town, District and Local centres, with an emphasis on maintaining access to local shops and services

5c) providing an adequate and accessible network of health facilities to improve health, emotional wellbeing and life expectancy

5d) co-locating services and community facilities to maximise access and efficienc

5e) enabling an increased take-up of sports, leisure and cultural activities by residents and visitors through the provision of accessible and affordable facilities and programmes

5f) ensuring developers provide or contribute to the infrastructure needs arising from new development e.g. access, education, open space, play areas

5g) reducing crime and the fear of crime through a design led approach

5h) promoting access to a healthy natural environment that contributes positively to our physical and mental health and education

Objective 6:
Provision of an efficient and effective transport system

This will be achieved by:

6a) working at a local, county and national level to secure improvements in strategic transport infrastructure such as the Bexhill Hastings Link Road and improvements to the A21 and A259 roads

6b) working at a local, county and national level to secure improvements to rail and regional services to the town.

6c) working with East Sussex County Council and Rother District Council to deliver the Local Transport Plan 3 and measures for the Hastings and Bexhill priority area

6d) working with transport providers and the Quality Bus Partnership to improve local bus services, including through the creation of bus priority lanes

6e) supporting development which reduces the need to travel, especially by car

6f) providing and improving a network of safe, good quality walking and cycling routes and ensuring provision of appropriate facilities for sustainable transport users.

Objective 7:
Making best use of the Seafront and promoting tourism

This will be achieved by:

7a) ensuring the seafront has a range of day long and year round activities and facilities that attract residents, workers and visitors

7b) supporting the growth and development of the tourism industry in Hastings by retaining and encouraging day visitors and attracting high spending staying visitors, maximising the value of visitor spend, and spreading tourist activity throughout the year.

7c) resisting the loss of seafront visitor accommodation to other uses, and encouraging the provision of new visitor accommodation

7d) working with local communities to secure a sustainable future for Hastings Pier, the redundant White Rock Baths, and other key landmark sites along the Seafront such as St Mary in the Castle and West Marina

7e) encouraging artists and related tourists and visitors through increasing opportunities for vibrant art and craft studios, markets, chalets and retail

7f) helping to promote water based leisure, including the coastal based sports clubs


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