Key sites update in Hastings

Hastings Town Centre Regeneration and work with Homes England

In December 2022, Homes England and Hastings Borough Council commissioned Lambert Smith Hampton and Tibbalds to review and advise on the market potential for regeneration of Hastings Town Centre, to understand the opportunities for delivering new homes, commercial leisure and cultural facilities.

Following on from this assessment work, the council with funding support from Homes England, plans to appoint a consultant or a consortium of consultants, to support the council to develop plans to regenerate the town centre (around some of the empty and underutilised buildings and spaces on Priory Street/Cornwallis Street).

Regular updates will be provided to the Town Deal Board and published with meeting minutes

Station Plaza – Station Yard

Situated at the corner of South Terrace and Devonshire Road, this area of the Station Plaza was vacant since the construction of the college, healthcare centre and car park in 2010. Planning application for three residential blocks was granted in 2008. Hastings Borough Council has engaged with the new owners of the site, Purple Pepper Homes and work is well under way on the construction of 103 quality 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments, with associated amenity space, car parking and bicycle storage.  

Completion is targeted for Spring 2025.

Former Brighton University Building, Priory Square Building

Located within the Priory Square Quarter, the former University of Brighton building was completed in 2013 and comprises the original 1930’s Post Office building fronting Cambridge Road, the building has been vacant since 2019. The building was sold to new owners, Stonegate Homes, in December 2023. A planning application has been submitted for Change of Use to 42 residential dwellings and commercial Space in May 2023 which was approved and can be viewed here.

We await further details from the building owners.

Priory Street Car Park

Early studies of the Priory Street Car Park showed the need for wider consideration of plans for the town centre. This work comes from progressing the Town Investment Plan Town Centre Core Projects. Some concept proposals were developed for the site, but the development costs were significantly prohibitive leading to the funding for the project being re-allocated to the public realm and green connections project to boost investment. This is being considered as part of the Town Centre Regeneration plans as above within the Hastings Town Centre Regeneration and work with Homes England update.

Queensbury House

Situated opposite Hastings station, this vacant building was sold at auction to Dorchester Estates in 2023. Permitted development rights which were granted in 2021 for proposed change of use from office space to 89 self-contained one-bedroom studio flats with cycle spaces and use of basement as refuse area, has now expired.

We understand that developers are currently reviewing the plans here.

Former Debenhams Building

A press release was issued by the owners of the building, Moxie Management Two in October 2024, providing an update on hopes for the future of the building Hastings Debenhams site owner reveals hopes for future of site. Moxie confirmed they are committed to staying in Hastings and are working hard to find a new use for the ground, first and second floors of the building.  

The building is being advertised for let with a local agent and the council are working closely with Moxie with the intention to bring the vacated floors back into use.  Further updates will be published when available.