This is what a developer has planned for the Hastings Direct offices in Bexhill

Developer Paramount Land and Development has made an application to Rother District Council to convert Conquest House in Collington Avenue into 86 apartments. 

The potential conversion of the six-storey office building, which is currently the offices of insurance company Hastings Direct, has proven to be controversial with some neighbours. 

The converted site would have 66 car parking spaces as well as a further 96 cycle parking places. 

Objectors say this will be insufficient for the 86 flats and put too much pressure on the local road system.

The developer disagrees and argues its location and available parking nearby make it a suitable residential location.

In a transport statement submitted as part of the application, a spokesman for the developer said: “The site benefits from being located near to established bus and rail networks, which provide access to a range of destinations across the local area, as well as connections into central London. The site is also located in close proximity to good walking and cycling infrastructure.

“Together these characteristics ensure that the site is an acceptable location for residential development and that residents will be able to choose active modes of travel to access essential goods and services in favour or car use and ownership.

“The site is not located within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), with many of the streets surrounding the site unrestricted. 

“The parking stress surveys have revealed that overnight, on weekday evenings and during the day on a Saturday, there is significant capacity on the streets surrounding the site, with parking stress averaging between 48 per cent – 51 per cent during these times.”

Some objectors have also raised concerns about overlooking and loss of privacy from people living in the flats.

Hastings Direct declined to comment on what the proposals will mean for the business.