Eastbourne Local Plan - Growth Strategy

Key Development Sites

A number of 'key development sites' have been identified that could accommodate relatively large-scale development for Eastbourne. These are generally sites identified in the Land Availability Assessment as being potentially capable of accommodating more than 25 homes or 3,000sqm of commercial floorspace, but also includes large sites that have an extant planning permission to provide a full picture of where development is expected to take place over the plan period. Further detail on these sites is provided in the Housing Background Paper.

These 'key development sites' are not currently subject to any 'showstopper' constraints and are likely to be considered for allocation in the Local Plan. However, it is recognised that a number of these sites do have issues that would require mitigation if they were to come forward for development, and further work is being undertaken to understand these.

1 - Land adjacent the Enterprise Centre and Railway Station

Land adj Enterprise
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Currently allocated in the Town Centre Local Plan, this site is a previously developed site, consisting of a surface car park serving the Enterprise Centre and the Railway Station. The site could provide around 5,000sqm of retail space and 3,000sqm as an extension to the Enterprise Centre, and around 192 homes through the provision of a tall building with replacement parking provided on the lower floors.

2 - Junction Road Car Park

Junction Road CP
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The site consists of a 6-storey multi-storey car parking, located within the Town Centre. The current condition of the building means that it is unlikely to re-open as a car park, which means it would have the potential for redevelopment to provide around 80 homes through the provision of a tall building.

3 - Former Debenhams site, 152-170 Terminus Road

The site is a vacant 3-storey retail building within the Town Centre, and size and layout of the existing building means that it is unlikely to be reused for retail use as it currently is. The site has the potential to accommodate around 120 homes through the provision of a tall building with approximately 1,000sqm of retail and leisure space on the ground floor.

4 - Former TJ Hughes site, 177-187 Terminus Road

TJHughes
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The site is a former 4-storey retail building and is currently subject to a proposal for the redevelopment of the site to provide 65 homes and around 700 sqm of retail space on the ground floor. The development of the site is proposed to retain the existing façade. The site is located in a sustainable location in the Town Centre, with good access to services and facilities and accessibility to public transport.

5 - Former Law Courts, Old Orchard Road

The site of the former law court on Old Orchard Road is currently subject to a proposal for redevelopment to provide 35 homes, including provision of affordable housing. Being within the town centre, the site is in a sustainable location with good access to services and facilities and access to public transport, and it is also adjacent to an existing residential area.

6 - Former Police Station, Grove Road

The former Police Station on Grove Road has been vacant for a number of years since the Police reception moved to 1 Grove Road. The site currently has planning permission of a change of use to create 50 homes in a sustainable location close to services and facilities with good access to public transport.

7 - 56 Langney Road

The site is a 2-storey retail unit in the town centre that is expected to become available for redevelopment later in the plan period. The redevelopment of the site, which could incorporate a taller building, could provide an additional 47 homes within a sustainable location.

8 - Bedfordwell Road Depot

The site is a former depot located off Bedfordwell Road alongside the railway line. There is a proposal for a mixed-use development providing a total of 100 homes, which would include the conversion of the existing listed Pump House building to residential and commercial use. The site would also include green infrastructure, and has the potential to facilitate access to the western part of Land at Tutts Barn Lane (Site 9).

9 - Land at Tutts Barn Lane

This site on the edge of Eastbourne Park could be considered in two parts: the former railway sidings to the east of the site adjacent to the railway line and north of the Bedfordwell Road development site, which could accommodate around 150 homes; and the western part of the site adjacent to the existing allotments (which would be retained) along Tutts Barn Lane, which could accommodate a further 120 homes.

10 - Fisherman's Green

The site currently consists of surface car park, tennis courts and community and commercial uses. There is redevelopment potential for the site, and one option could be the provision of around 80 homes. Any loss of existing community uses and sports courts as a result of development should be re-provided. The site could be impacted by proposed solutions to coastal flooding defences as part of the Coastal Management Scheme, which could mean it may be unavailable for development in future.

11 - East Sussex College site, Cross Levels Way

East Sussex College is seeking to rationalise the use of its Eastbourne campus which will release surplus land, thereby releasing capital for investment into the educational provision at the campus. The surplus land could accommodate approximately 200 - 275 homes, including the potential for extra-care provision, in addition to enhanced educational accommodation for the college.

12 - 2-4 Moy Avenue

Consisting of a derelict warehouse building adjacent to a residential area, the site has planning permission for the refurbishment of the existing building including a change of use to residential, and the development of two further blocks to the rear of the refurbished building to provide a total of 72 homes.

13 - ESK, Courtlands Road

The ESK site on Courtlands Road consists of a retail warehouse and surface car park, located between an industrial area and a residential area. There is a proposal for the redevelopment of the site to provide 136 homes through a mix of houses and flats, with around 300 sqm of commercial space also being provided.

14 - Dairy Crest, Waterworks Road

The Dairy Crest site on Waterworks Road, a former warehouse building located on the edge of an existing industrial estate and adjacent to a residential area, has a current planning permission for the comprehensive redevelopment of the site to provide 60 new homes.

15 - Land at Southbourne

The site is a greenfield site within Eastbourne Park but adjacent to the current built-up area. The northern part of the side adjacent to Lottbridge Drove has potential for the development of around 30,000 sqm of industrial and warehouse space. The southern part of the site adjacent to the existing residential area could be suitable for around 85 homes, with a clear buffer provided between residential and employment uses.

16 - Former Gas Works, Finmere Road

The site is a former gas works, located between residential and industrial uses. The site has been decommissioned, but its former use as a gas storage facility means that it will require demolition, decontamination and remediation. Once this has taken place, the site could potentially accommodate approximately 10,000 sqm of industrial and warehouse space, subject to alternative access arrangements being made.

17 - Land off Pevensey Bay Road

The development of this site would be part of an extension of the existing urban area into the East Langney Levels. Development would be focused towards the southern part of the site adjacent to Pevensey Bay Road and could accommodate around 375 homes. The site would be required to provide appropriate open space and flood, landscape and ecology mitigation, and maintain adequate buffers from existing watercourse.

18 - Land at East Langney Levels

The development of this site would be part of an extension of the existing urban area into the East Langney Levels. The site would require flooding, ecological and landscape mitigation, but if these issues can be overcome it is considered that the site could potentially accommodate 212 homes.

19 - Wood's Cottages, Swanley Close

The site of two former residential properties within extensive grounds, previously used as a brickworks that operated up until the 1940s. It is currently subject to planning permission for the construction of 51 homes with parking, access and landscaping.

20 - Land North East of St Anthony's Hill

This is a greenfield site on the fringe of Eastbourne Park, adjacent to the Langney roundabout. The site is not part of the functional floodplain, but does have potential flooding issues that need further investigation. The site could accommodate 35 homes, taking into account the irregular shape of the site and the need to provide on-site mitigation.

21 - Sovereign Harbour Site 6

Currently allocated for employment (office) use, this sites currently contains one office building (Pacific House) and the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre. The site could accommodate an additional 10,000 sqm of office floorspace.

22 - Sovereign Harbour Site 7a

An area of scrub / shingle located between a doctor's surgery and newly established park, the site is currently allocated for employment (office) use, but the high need for homes means that different uses now need to be considered. The site should still provide some employment-generating uses, but could also provide around 40 residential units.

23 - Former Moira House School, Upper Carlisle Road

The Former Moira House School site currently has planning permission for the change of use of some existing school buildings to residential use, and the new build development of additional houses within the site. The site would accommodate 52 homes plus amenity space and playspace.

Eastbourne College sites

24 - Summerdown Field, Compton Drive

25 - New Field, Upper Carlisle Road

Eastbourne College Incorporated is seeking to consolidate their operations around College Field, including the potential disposal of some outlying sites in order to fund the development of new and improved educational facilities. Playing Fields at Summerdown Field, Compton Drive and New Field, Upper Carlisle Road are located some distance from the main campus and there is potential, through better use of existing sites, for these playing fields to be made available for development. The sites could both accommodate approximately 35 homes each, but may be subject to alternative provision being made to compensate loss of existing playing pitches.

University of Brighton sites

26 - Welkin site, Carlisle Road

27 - Hillbrow site, Denton Road

28 - Aldro and Queenswood sites, Darley Road

The University of Brighton have confirmed their intention to relocate their Eastbourne facilities to Brighton, meaning that their current locations may become available for redevelopment.

The Welkin site contains relatively new purpose-built student accommodation that could be converted to self-contained flats, with potential for additional development to the front of the site. In total, the site could provide around 113 homes.

At the Hillbrow site, the buildings currently used for offices and teaching accommodation could be converted or redeveloped to residential use to provide around 25 homes whilst also retaining the existing sports centre and facilities.

The Aldro and Queenswood sites, located adjacent to each other on Darley Road, could be suitable for future residential use. The size of the Aldro site would lend itself to a mixed development of flats and houses providing around 154 homes, whilst Queenswood could also provide a further 57 homes.

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