Hastings Local Plan Consultation Draft (Regulation 18)
Hastings is an amazing place and we want people who live here to have their needs met and be supported and encouraged to live their best lives. I am really pleased to share with you this first consultation draft of our new local plan which sets out the vision for the future of our town for the next twenty years.
The process to develop and agree a local plan is a long and detailed one. I would like to thank everyone who responded to our initial survey and has contacted us to help shape our strategy and development of the plan so far.
Our local plan has an important role in helping us to plan for future growth so that any development has a lasting and positive impact on communities and opens new opportunities for jobs and skills for local people.
We must promote the right development in the right places at the right scale in order to create attractive sustainable neighbourhoods as well as new economic opportunities. This is especially important as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Through our plan the needs of residents, businesses and visitors will be considered, and the unique character and landscape of our town will be protected and enhanced for 21st century living.
We have a huge demand for housing in our borough so our plan must ensure we produce enough well designed, good quality, affordable homes which enhance the environment, address climate change and enable people to have active lifestyles. In order to meet this need we must look at more challenging sites that, with the right infrastructure or mitigation, can be brought forward for development.
Our local plan must enable us all to address the most important issue of our time, that of climate change. We want to encourage the take up of new technologies to help us reach our net zero emissions 2030 target. We need national planning policy to prioritise climate change as well.
This plan will provide a 'brief' for the development industry and set out the amount, location and type of development we expect to see and the requirements that developments will be expected to meet.
Before our local plan can be adopted it will be considered by an Independent Planning Inspector who will review the evidence and conclusions we have come to in a public examination.
This is someway off yet and your input at this stage is really important. It would be great to have your feedback on this draft and there are several ways you can get involved to help shape our plan and full details are on our website.
Thank you very much for your interest in our plan and our town.
Cllr Kim Forward,
Leader, Hastings Borough Council
- We want to improve the health and wellbeing of Hastings' communities and create new opportunities by:
- Addressing climate change and supporting our carbon neutral ambition through reduced transport emissions, energy efficient buildings and expanded green infrastructure
- Achieving and sustaining a thriving and diverse economy – with a strong manufacturing sector including new creative, high-tech and green industries creating jobs and skills opportunities for local people
- Delivering 4,275 new homes that people can afford and want in well- designed existing, or new, neighbourhoods that make it easier to lead a more active lifestyle
- The starting point for achieving this is celebrating our unique natural landscapes and the historic built environment that makes Hastings special.
