Closed: Eastbourne Seafront Strategy 2050

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What's this project about?

We have been asking for your help to create a vision for Eastbourne seafront for the next 25 years. This will become a plan for our seafront that you want you to be part of.

We want a vision that will help revitalise the town have a lasting positive impact on the environment and wellbeing of local people now and for future generations.

To do this we need to hear from as many local people, visitors, businesses and partners about what is most important to you.

Whether it's wellbeing, entertainment, food and drink, accessibility, a clean environment, personal safety, activities, culture, heritage, water quality, opportunities for young people, or anything else, we want to know what's important to you now and what will be important to you over the next 25 years.

We invited ideas that look beyond what the seafront offers now.

Map of the current seafront

Your voice matters

To make sure we get the best strategy possible, we invited the thoughts and feedback of as many people as possible. 

This included local people, businesses, visitors and partners. 

The project team have been particularly interested to hear from people under the age of 25, and from groups who might not usually add their voice to projects like this.

We held a series of Seafront Strategy Workshops at the Town Hall on:

• Tuesday 10 September from 3pm 
• Thursday 19 September from 10am
• Monday 23 September from 12pm 

These were open to everyone.

We have given lots of opportunities to have a say, both online and in-person. See our social media accounts for updates on the events we shall be attending or keep checking back on this site. 

Instagram: @eastbourne_seafront2050

If you are part of a community or group who would like to speak to us about the project, please get in touch by emailing PandDCommunications@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk

 

FAQs

1. Why do we need a Seafront Strategy for Eastbourne?

The economic and social significance of the seafront to local residents, visitors and businesses makes it vital that we have a clear strategy for the future of the seafront.

The Seafront Strategy will set out a vision for how we want the seafront to be in the future. It will provide a framework to inform any decision-making in relation to the seafront. The strategy be visionary, but at the same time deliverable, particularly in the short term.

A strategy for the future of the seafront is important due to our on-going work on the Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme. The type and scale of the coastal defences needed to protect Eastbourne from coastal flooding over the next 100 years are likely to result in significant changes to Eastbourne seafront.

When ready, the strategy will inform the Environment Agency about how we want the seafront to look, feel and function in future. This can then be taken into account in designing coastal defences.

The Seafront Strategy will also seek to address other issues such as long-term decisions on:

• land management on the seafront and lease renewals,
• securing viable uses to secure the long-term future of heritage assets, and
• understanding whether sites should be considered for development and what contribution this development can make to the future of the seafront.

2. What geographical area will the strategy cover?

The strategy will cover the area within the borough boundary from Pinnacle Point by Bedes School, to Sovereign Harbour. It will mainly concentrate on the seafront promenade and immediate surroundings, to the south of the B2106 (Dukes Drive, King Edwards Parade, Grand Parade, Marine Parade, Royal Parade, Prince William Parade) including the row of buildings immediately adjacent to the seafront.

3. What will the Seafront Strategy include?

The Seafront Strategy will cover a 25-year period from 2025 to 2050, and will include:

• A high-level vision for what we want the seafront to be by 2050
• An outline for how things could change
• Ways to address significant seafront-related issues
• Early-stage proposals for key seafront assets
• An initial action and implementation plan looking at actions that should be progressed in the short-term, medium-term and long-term, including how they could be funded.

4.   What are the stages of creating the Seafront Strategy?

Stage one: Conversations on Issues, Challenges and Opportunities - Through engagement with residents, businesses, visitors and partners, we will understand what they like and dislike about Eastbourne Seafront, what they would like to change, and how they would see the seafront in 2050. Timeframe: July to September 2024.

Stage two: Vision and Options - using information gathered during stage one, a clear vision for the seafront and options for how this vision might be achieved will be created. We will then carry out further engagement to invoice feedback on the proposed options. Timeframe: early 2025.

Stage three: Setting the Strategy - using feedback from stages one and two, we will draft a strategy for the seafront over spring and early summer 2025. We will then carry out a further round of public consultation for final feedback over summer 2025 before it is adopted in autumn 2025. Timeframe: summer to autumn 2025.