Good News for Hastings Pier
The Pier is an iconic piece of our local cultural and architectural history which must be protected.
I have long favoured the Council issuing a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) – that would allow the Hastings and White Rock Trust to get on with renovating and reopening the Pier.
We all know the history is that the owners let us down badly by allowing the present state of disrepair. The question is what can we do about it? It is clear that the council do not have the resources to renovate the structure and that is why I'm so keen to support the Hastings and White Rock Trust (I am a lifetime member myself) in their endeavours to find a solution.
You will therefore no doubt wish to join me in congratulating the trust in securing a 75,000 grant from a Government funded partnership which will enable a full feasibility study to be carried out. This should also identify where funds can be sourced to carry out the renovation.
The starting point is to have a professional view on how much it will cost, what parts can be done first and how the work can be done in a sustainable way. Of course some money will need to be raised and that can come from either (a) direct grants from Government agencies, (b) loans from regeneration organisations and (c) local and maybe charitable contributions.
As far as the Government is concerned I have spoken to John Denham, the Secretary of State for Communities, who is keen to offer support for regeneration of seaside towns (for example the money towards the Jerwood Project). I believe he is shortly visiting Hastings and I hope that it will be possible therefore to convince him that cash towards the regeneration of the pier has a wider regeneration value.
Of course, you will also know that to do anything we need to Compulsorily Purchase the pier and only the council can do that. Thanks to pressure from colleagues such as Cllr Jeremy Birch the Council have now, albeit belatedly, agreed to CPO the structure if a viable business plan can be provided.
Because of the fantastic work doggedly pursued by the Trust and this Government support we are now in a stronger position to see a solution than for some time past. Please therefore continue to support the Trust in their endeavours over the coming weeks and months. This is one I think we can win.
To keep up to date on what I'm doing stop by my website www.michaelfoster.org.uk.
You can also receive a monthly update on my activities by sending an email to mp@1066.net with 'MPFree' in the subject line.
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Weather for St Leonards-on-Sea
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
