Exhibition's vision for a better future for district

MOST areas of Bexhill have worsening deprivation levels, visitors to an exhibition devoted to planning for a better future are learning.

Bexhill has a higher percentage of households on low incomes below 60% of the national average than the rest of Rother.

One third of Bexhill's 42,280 population is aged over 65. Just 26.5% is aged under 30.

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Rother district must find room for between 5,600 and 5,850 new homes and 100,000 square metres of new business floorspace in the next 18 years to meet plans for the south east. Between 3,100 and 3,300 of the new homes and 60,000 sq. m. of the business floorspace will be in Bexhill.

These are some of the reasons why Rother is evolving what it calls its Core Strategy for the future.

The De La Warr Pavilion's new Studio is given over today and tomorrow to a public exhibition explaining the proposals.

The venue is one of seven across the district hosting the exhibition as part of public consultation into the proposals for the Core Strategy, which will form the heart of the council's Local Development Framework. This will set out how the development of the district will be managed and will eventually replace the current Local Plan.

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Principal planning officer David Marlow and colleagues manning the pavilion exhibition say the LDF will be one of the most important documents the council has to produce.

Information leaflets at the exhibition summarising the proposals stressed the importance of reading the information carefully.

"It will be difficult to introduce new issues at a later stage of the process so this is a vital opportunity for local people, businesses and organisations to help shape future development and change.

"The council wants your views to ensure that policy decisions are informed by local people's ideas and that development best serves local needs and priorities."

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In a "Vision for Rother in 2026," the authority aims for a high quality of life, achieved by continuing to support and further develop "vibrant, safe, balanced and inclusive communities."

It says sustainable economic growth will have been secured, with much improved job opportunities which will have encouraged young people to stay in the area and greater prosperity for all.

It wants improved economic and social well-being made possible by better access to jobs and services and improved connectivity with the rest of the region.

The vision covers "sensitive stewardship" of the local environment.

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"Bexhill will have retained and strengthened its distinct identity and become one of the most attractive places to live on the south coast '“ attractive to families, the young and older people alike...

The overall development strategy being proposed seeks to promote a better balance between homes and jobs with new development.

"At the heart of the strategy for Bexhill is accomplishing economic turnaround and promoting sustainable growth.

"Core to this is the timely delivery of the Bexhill Hastings Link Road, which will provide the catalyst for building new communities and strategic employment areas located to the north and north east of the town.

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"Within the town, the strategy proposes to deliver a new secondary school and vocational centre, new shopping floorspace primarily around the railway, and a new multi-purpose leisure centre.

The strategy identifies investment in streets and other public spaces, including the seafront and greenspaces, notably through the establishment, and future extension westwards, of Pebsham Countryside Park.

"In total, the strategy proposes between 3,100 and 3,800 new homes and substantial new business areas predominantly to be provided to the north east and subsequently to the north of the town, as well as within the town."

The deadline for submitting comments on the proposals is Friday, January 20.