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Hastings Millennium Community
The site
Hastings Millennium Community in East Sussex spans an area of 72 ha across three sites: Ore Valley, Hastings Station Plaza and West Marina.
The Millennium Community plays a critical role within a Five Point Plan to regenerate the area developed by the Hastings and Bexhill Task Force, a partnership of public-sector organisations. Substantial private-sector finance has also been secured for the programme, in addition to government funds contributed by English Partnerships, the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and from Europe through the Government Office for the South East.
Background
English Partnerships is working with Hastings Borough Council, SEEDA, Hastings and Bexhill Task Force’s regeneration company Sea Space, East Sussex County Council and local people. The Millennium Community will provide around 897 new homes, plus commercial, community and leisure facilities.
Hastings Millennium Community is part of the Government’s Design Coding pilot scheme, which aims to help speed up the delivery of high-quality housing. Design Coding provides developers with a set of advance instructions that describe many urban design requirements.
The Millennium Community will comprise a mixed-use scheme, including 120 homes, for a 2.5 ha site that will become Hastings Station Plaza. Work will commence late 2008 at the 2.1 ha West Marina site to build 100 waterfront homes, as well as create business spaces, visitor amenities and a college campus.
At the Ore Valley site, a range of improvements to public spaces will help to create a cohesive, sustainable community where people will have easy access to local amenities. Development on this site will deliver around 150 new jobs and 650 homes, 25 per cent of which will be affordable. All new homes will be built to meet the Millennium Community standards
Current status
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister launched Design Coding in 2004 and the Ore Valley in Hastings was chosen as one of 10 national pilot projects. Community engagement is a key feature of Design Coding and an extensive programme of public consultation is planned to help shape Hastings Millennium Community.
Three sites to Draft Design Codes have already been developed and in October 2004. English Partnerships announced funding of £15.1m to enable site preparation to commence in November 2004. A development partner for the Ore Valley has been selected to form a joint venture company with Sea Space to deliver the housing.
Work also started in 2004 on the redevelopment of the community centre in Ore Valley. Over £1m has been invested in the new facilities by English Partnerships. Renamed "the Bridge," the energy-efficient centre houses an internet café, crèche, office space and a multi-purpose hall. It opened its doors to residents of the Ore Valley in early 2006.
