Appendix 8: Getting Building Fund (GBF) Programme: Project Updates

· Restoring the Glory of the Winter Garden – The £1.6m grant was used to support the restoration of the Winter Garden, a historic Grade 2 listed Victorian pavilion within Devonshire Park, to its former glory as a cultural destination of regional importance that supports and enhances Eastbourne’s year-round visitor economy. The elements of the project delivered with the GBF funding were completed in March 2022 with the remaining elements of the overall project anticipated for completion in Quarter 4 of 2024/25.

· Observer Building, Hastings (Phase 2)- This iconic and much-loved local landmark will be brought to life with four floors of leisure, retail, offices, studios and community space. The elements of the project delivered with the initial £1.713m GBF funding were completed in March 2022 with a further £315,000 of GBF pipeline funding awarded at the November 2022 SELEP Accountability Board Meeting, and spend by March 2023, to enable works on the façade to take place. The remaining elements of the overall project are forecast for completion by December 2023.

· Charleston Access Road – a total of £329k GBF was awarded across two bids to widen and resurface the access track to Charleston and enable the addition of a cycle path along the access road and connection to other cycle routes. Project completed in March 2022.

· Creative Hub, 4 Fisher Street, Lewes - The £250k grant was used toward the Conversion of a vacant building into a new co-working hub and café. The new hub includes touch down, short occupation and longer term leased office space for the fast-growing creative industries in Greater Brighton. Project completed in September 2021.

· Sussex Innovation Falmer: Covid-Secure Adaptions -The £200k grant was utilised to refurbish the Innovation Centre to make it a Covid/pandemic-secure work environment. Project completed in December 2021.

· UTC Maritime and Sustainable Technology Hub -£1.3m GBF contributed towards the conversion of the former UTC@harbourside building into to include new office space for Lewes District Council and partners, an education-led skills training centre and commercial workspace for SMEs. Spend of the GBF grant was completed by March 2023 with work on the initial phase of the project completed in September 2023.

· Food Street - £100k of GBF awarded to support bringing five commercial units back into use in Eastbourne Town Centre. Project completed July 2022.

· Seven Sisters Country Park Visitor infrastructure Uplift - An initial £200k of GBF investment was awarded at February 2022 Accountability Board to widen the scope of an existing project to incorporate a high footfall retail space to support local businesses and accommodation for the onsite warden. This was spent by September 2022 with a further £84,100 GBF pipeline funding awarded at the January 2023 SELEP Accountability Board Meeting, and spend by March 2023, to enable further work on the project . The wider project was completed in May 2023.