National housing targets mean Hastings is expected to deliver around 700 new homes each year. We also need to plan for economic growth and support the creation of new jobs, as well as the infrastructure required to support development. This includes shops and services, sustainable transport and active travel, health, education and recreation facilities.

Development opportunities are limited due to the need to protect the town’s important assets, including the natural and historic environment. The Plan needs to achieve the right balance between meeting the government’s housing target and protecting our local assets. This is why the Draft Plan proposes a lower housing target. We need your views on whether we have that balance right.

Policy SP1: Directing Growth (A Spatial Strategy): Directs housing and economic growth to the most sustainable locations. This means building new homes close to existing communities and important services and facilities, as well as guiding investment and business growth to our network of town centres, existing industrial areas and seafront tourism.

Map of Hastings Borough showing town and district centres, major transport routes including railways, green spaces, housing, industrial areas, and flood plains.

The quality of what is built during the lifetime of the Plan matters. Our Sustainable Communities (SC) policies in Part 7 of the Draft Plan set out the standards that all new development must meet, and protect our important community, heritage and natural assets.