Gensing and Central St Leonards
Community Forum

St Leonards has a unique architectural heritage, and residents are concerned that development plans should reflect the qualities of the area and the aspirations of residents to see high quality design. Too often residents hear about proposals when it is too late to effectively influence the planning process.

The new Planning Thematic group met for the first time on Wednesday 3rd March 6.30pm at the Community Information Centre, 16 Silchester Road St Leonards.

Some of the group's aims are set out below:

1. Be aware of applications and planning issues
2. Engage in the planning process and understand it
3. Help people become engaged in commenting on applications and planning policy
4. Find out how others (community groups) do it in Hastings and elsewhere in the UK
5. Learn from best practice including good design
6. Promote good design in architecture, greenspace, streets and squares

The group intends to hold regular meetings and to request, and get, council officers and members at meetings. Some meetings will be thematic eg Hastings Local Development Framework, national policy, specific applications

The group wants to campaign for the positive and remain non-political in its responses.

The next meeting is Tuesday 23rd March 6.30pm at the Community Information Centre, 16 Silchester Road St – please come along if you are interested in this area.