Bexhill Town Profile - Rother District Council

The Future of the Town Centre and Retailing, Providing for
Job Growth, Housing Needs and Traffic and Growth Potential
1 April 2011
3.58 The meeting dealt with the remaining issues concerning the future of Bexhill.
The Group is made up of senior officers from RDC and many stakeholders to
drive regeneration of the town centre and deliver a vibrant and viable centre
fit for the 21 st Century.
3.59 Members of the Executive acknowledged there are limited employment sites
for small businesses. Hastings had a significant sphere of influence on the
local economy and policy direction should be co-ordinated with Hastings. The
local economy is service and public sector orientated and is sensitive to the
financial change. Greater effect must be encouraged to make the town more
business friendly although it was acknowledged a major employer is unlikely
to move into the area with other major urban areas nearby.
3.60 Members recognised the evidence that local people who want to live in
Bexhill could not because of affordability and would move to areas where it
was cheaper like Hastings. The debate was generally supportive of
developing a strategy to make it easier to support young people who wanted
to stay in the town by finding suitable accommodation. Members expressed
the view that affordability was difficult at the moment.
3.61 The uncertainty surrounding the Link Road was bad for the town. Members
agreed the road would have brought much needed confidence in the town
and probable investment would have followed. Members were keen to stress
such a delay in the decision should not hamper any strategic development in
the town. The Core Strategy would push forward with its plan for Bexhill and
inertia would not be acceptable.
3.62 There was general support in the strategic growth/direction of the town.
Members thought it was good that new people should move into the area
bringing much needed spending power to the town, supporting local shops
and services and increasing the tax base of the town
3.63 The following is a summary of the issues discussed at the meetings:
A steering group on the Town Centre has been established and is seeking
short, medium and long term solutions to the town centre
o Short term - public realm improvements
o Medium term – developing a strategy for the town centre including
identification of opportunities to stimulate growth
o Long term – development of town centre through expansion – north of
the railway line?
Requirement for greater footfall and greater spend from visitors
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