LGF Project Updates

Newhaven Flood Alleviation Scheme - funded by both SELEP and C2C LEP (Project completed) This is an Environment Agency (EA) led scheme to reduce flood risk in Newhaven and recognise the wider benefits this will bring in encouraging regeneration in the town.

Hailsham/Polegate/Eastbourne movement and access transport scheme (Delivery ongoing) The sustainable Transport Corridor between Hailsham, Polegate & Eastbourne, is part of the strategic transport improvements identified to support planned housing and employment growth within the current Wealden & Eastbourne Local Plans. Construction is forecast to start in 2026/27.

Eastbourne & South Wealden Walking and Cycling Package (Delivery ongoing) Package of walking & cycling schemes identified in Eastbourne & Wealden Cycle Strategies to support housing & employment growth in these areas. A revised Business Case and Economic Appraisal was conducted for the scheme and approval to proceed with this revised package was given by the Leader and Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development on 17 September 2024. The installation of cycle stands was complete in early 2025/26.

Queensway Gateway Road (Grant spend completed, match fund and practical completion ongoing) QGR provides a new road between Queensway and A21 in north Hastings. First phase of the road to the mid-roundabout opened December 2018 and Phase 2a (intermediate roundabout to Ramblers Coaches) was completed mid-2019. Phase 3a started onsite in autumn 2020, completing access to the last of the businesses with a QGR frontage and completing the road to the boundary of the car showroom. A signalised connection to provide a link between the completed road and the A21 received in-principle technical approval of the modelling aspect of the scheme from National Highways. The delivery of the final stage of the road, Phase 2b, was awarded £2.5m further funding from the Levelling Up Partnership (LUP) programme. This final connection is being delivered by the East Sussex Highways contractor who started work on site in September 2024. In Q1 of 2025/26 the project removed 6,000 tonnes of embankment soil, finished Junction Road, installed A21 National Highways infrastructure and traffic signals junction alongside Southern Water conclusion of freshwater pipeline works.

Hastings and Bexhill Movement and Access Package (Delivery ongoing) This scheme of walking and cycling infrastructure improvements and junction capacity improvements to support housing and employment was awarded £9m LGF funding by the SELEP Accountability Board in February 2018. Varying slippage and delays were experienced across the package as a result of Covid-19, resulting in consultations being delayed which had knock-on impacts on schemes progressing through to construction. Subsequently, pedestrian crossings at the Ridge, Sandown Primary School, Battle Road and Collington Avenue have finished construction, Hastings and Bexhill bus stop upgrades have been delivered and the Hastings Wayfinding, Albert Road and Cooden Drive packages, as well as the mini roundabouts at Beeching Road and Sackville Road have all been completed. An updated business case outlining how ESCC intends to progress the remaining packages and extending the completion date to March 2026 was approved by the SELEP Accountability Board in September 2023. A design review is ongoing for the Station Approach scheme with construction planned for 2025/26.

Eastbourne Town Centre (ETC) (Delivery ongoing, Phase 1 completed). A total of £8m LGF funding was awarded to the project across two phases. Phase 1, which focussed on the section of Terminus Road between Station roundabout and Bankers Corner, Cornfield Road and Gildredge Road was completed in January 2020. This scheme has significantly improved the pedestrian environment in this section of ETC as well as supported the wider investment in the extension to The Beacon shopping centre. The programme for Phase 2a has progressed through preliminary and final detailed design with approval to proceed to construction provided by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment (LMTE) in July 2021. The appointment of ESCC’s new highways contractor in May 2023 led to a design-review period and the handing over of pre-construction works. An updated business case for Phase 2a of the project, reflecting the design review was approved by the Lead Member for Transport and Economy on 18 November 2024. Following consultation with stakeholders, construction will start in September 2025 and the Traffic Regulation Order to enable this has been approved. Delivery is expected to be completed by May 2026.

Swallow Business Park (Project completed) The project provided enabling infrastructure to unlock the development of Swallow Business Park in the A22/A27 Eastbourne/South Wealden Growth Corridor.

Strategic Site Investment Package, formerly Sovereign Harbour Innovation Park (Practical and financial completion achieved). Project developed the site infrastructure on three sites at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne; North East Bexhill; and North Queensway, St Leonards.

Coastal Communities Housing Project Hastings (Project completed) The £0.67m of LGF investment was used alongside Hastings Borough Council and Optivo investment of over £2m in the purchase and refurbishment of a former care home in St Leonards for the creation of 16 social rent units.

North Bexhill Access Road (Practical and financial completion achieved) The £18.6m to develop North Bexhill Access Road (NBAR), which runs between Combe Valley Way and the A269 north of Sidley, was completed and opened to traffic in March 2019. NBAR runs from a roundabout on the BHLR to the A269 north of Sidley. The full length of NBAR was completed and opened to traffic in March 2019. However, there continues to be a delay in Sea Change Sussex (SCS) offering up the road for the formal adoption until after the Stage 3 road safety audit and identified works are completed.

East Sussex Strategic Growth Package (ESSGP) (Grant spend completed, match fund and practical completion ongoing) Awarded £8.2m in 2017 through the LGF round three. Work on the road extension at Bexhill Enterprise Park was completed in September 2017. The construction of High Weald House (HWH) at the Bexhill Enterprise Park (South) was completed in April 2019. Later stages of the ESSGP are subject to the sale of the HWH building and other land receipts which are expected to enable a recycling of funds that will lead to further developments at Sovereign Harbour, Bexhill, and Hastings Priory Quarter with additional development in South Wealden dependent on the need identified through the respective local plan processes.

Devonshire Park Quarter Redevelopment (Project completed). Part of a wider £50m investment to deliver a series of major investments to transform Devonshire Park, the £16m welcome centre opened in June 2019 with the £5m LGF investment fully spent in 2017/18.

Bexhill Enterprise Park North (Practical and financial completion achieved) The project developed site and servicing infrastructure to provide full access to the individual development plots within the Bexhill Enterprise Park North business park from the North Bexhill Access Road. The £1.94m LGF funding was used to deliver the site and servicing infrastructure required to provide full access to the individual development plots within the Bexhill Enterprise Business Park North off the North Bexhill Access Road. These works enabled the development of the business park and intend to facilitate private sector investment in the site to bring forward 8,000 sqm of light industrial units and up to 8,000 sqm of manufacturing space.

Skills for Rural Businesses (Project completed) The total £4.41m of LGF funding was used to support the provision of the infrastructure and training required to secure better AgriFood productivity and efficiency post-Brexit. This infrastructure comprises the first phase of an ambitious development on the college site involving the construction of a two-storey centre of excellence in AgriFood knowledge transfer; improved pedestrian and road user access to the new facilities; redevelopment of the pig production and beef and sheep handling facilities, including automated milking stations; and the development of a village green through landscaping opportunities.

Churchfields Business Centre (formerly Sidney Little Road Business Incubator Hub) (Grant spend completed, match fund and practical completion ongoing) The business case to deliver 28 new business incubator units on a redundant industrial site was approved by SELEP Accountability Board June 2019. Construction completed March 2023, and letting of incubator units underway. Building in active use with 23 units let from 29.  

Bexhill Creative Workspace (Project completed) £0.96m of LGF investment was used towards the development of 1,599sqm of B1 light industrial space across six units, for the specific use of creative industry businesses to create entry level and starter jobs for young creatives in the area and supporting 36 net additional jobs. The total scheme costs £1.76m with Rother District Council match funding £0.8m for the purchase of the building. Construction was completed in March 2022 and the studios launched in April 2022.

Eastbourne Fisherman’s Quay and Infrastructure Development – Phases 2 and 3. (Project completed) LGF investment supported the development of the Fisherman’s Quay to maximise the local economic benefits arising from the fishing activity, through transforming an uneven, open yard into a resilient and productive community asset. The LGF funding was awarded to facilitate delivery of Phases 2 and 3, whilst delivery of Phase 1 of the project was supported by a Growing Places Fund loan. Phase 2 delivered two buildings, which are joined on the upper floors, offering 360 sqm of new space. The ground and first floors provide storage space for fishing and landing equipment as well as a repair workshop. Phase 3 provides a 150 sqm building which will be used as a Visitor Centre and as a base for the Eastbourne under 10m Fisherman’s Community Interest Company’s outreach and engagement work. Construction of both Phase 2 and 3 have been completed in 2022.