Decision Maker: Chief Operating Officer
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
The site was marketed on the open market in
2025 and two offers were received. Both offers were conditional on
a widening of the permitted use stated in the long lease.
The lease has a restrictive ‘Permitted Use’,
restricting use of the property to Use Class B1 B1(a) (b) (c) (a =
office) (b = R&D) & (C=industrial processes compatible with
a residential area). These uses are compatible with the
‘employment use’ allocation for Site 6 in the current
Local Plan.
Eastbourne Borough Council, as Planning
Authority, is currently preparing a new Local Plan. The allocation
of Site 6 is to be consulted upon. The decision has been made to
withdraw Site 6 from the market and to not proceed with either
offer while the Councils jointly consider next steps.
The decision could have been made to enter
into a conditional sale contract with either of the parties that
offered, however this would have been conditional on the permitted
use in the lease being widened. This is not currently
viable.
Publication date: 10/02/2026
Date of decision: 06/02/2026