ARE HOUSING CO-OPS PART OF
HASTINGS' LOCAL PLAN?
One of our members regularly attended the Hastings Housing Strategy over the last year beating the drum for housing co-ops and community led housing. While CLH is mentioned in the strategy, there are no solid commitments to community led housing. It's purely notional. The request to allocate a dedicated 10% of the housing budget to CLH was repeatedly ignored in the strategy drafts, which would have at least given willing community groups some concrete commitment and support to help them take control of their housing, and loosen the grip of landlords and extortionate rents in the housing market.
As a housing co-op, we were also stalled at the first step of our building development with Hastings Commons on Crystal Square. The Register of Interest we were told would take 2 weeks has never emerged. This was for a 14 unit pre-fab development over a car park, making use of pre-existing space, rather than building on green space or floodplains. In April it will be over a year since that first step. The role of the council is to enable it's community, not gatekeep. We know what we need and we are willing, we shouldn't be obstructed. This development could be well under way now, providing housing for a number of families, as well as a cohesive and robust cooperative community, and the start of a dynamic and much needed movement. While we are pushing on with a much smaller development we will have more control over, the larger development is just another discarded beautiful 'what if' gathering dust. No commitment on a broader or individual project level, just silence.
Crystal Square designed by architects Little Ships who specialise in utilising car parks for housing
CORNWALL HAS A DEDICATED HOUSING STRATEGY FOR COMMUNITY LED HOUSING AND NOW SO DO BRIGHTON & HOVE, LITERALLY NEXT DOOR TO US. WHY DOESN'T HASTINGS?
'Cornwall’s community-led housing (CLH) strategy focuses on empowering local groups to own and manage homes, addressing a severe housing crisis with 15,000 potential units in regional pipelines. The strategy aims to increase affordable housing stock, reduce homelessness, and improve home quality through partnerships, modular homes, and bringing empty properties back into use. Collaboration with organizations like Plymouth Community Homes and Homes England is key to delivering 200–350 homes annually.' Faversham Communiuty Land Trust
'Brighton & Hove’s community-led housing (CLH) strategy is a key component of the2024-2029 Housing Strategy, aimed at delivering affordable, high-quality, and sustainable homes through community partnership. The strategy focuses on empowering local groups, such as Community Land Trusts (CLTs) and co-ops, to develop housing on council-owned land. The council integrates CLH into its strategic planning, utilizing partners like the Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust to identify opportunities. The Council’s City Plan prioritizes identifying council-owned sites for CLH to increase housing supply.' Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust
Bunker Housing Coop Brighton were supported by B&H City Council to build their first set of housing
WHAT IS THE PLAN WITH THE LOCAL PLAN?
Hastings Council is creating a Local Plan. It sets out the vision for our town for the next 20 years.
But will it be a plan for developers? To build housing we can't afford on our green spaces?
Or will it be a plan for our communities? One that meets our need for affordable housing, amenities and public transport, and protects our green spaces for all of us?
Some of the proposals in the plan include
Tilekiln Farm (Fairlight Road)
Sandrock Bends (land adjacent Sandrock Park)
Graystone Lane (beside Speckled Wood)
Rock Lane
Breadsell by Marline Valley
Winchelsea Lane
Beaneys Lane
Seaside Road (Old Bathing Pool Site)
Former Convent playing fields on Magdalene Road
All these sites need to be protected from overdevelopment to safeguard the nature we all depend on, to mitigate increased risk from flooding, coastal erosion and sea level rise, and as amenity open spaces that can greatly benefit the physical and mental health of Hastings residents. Green areas between nature reserves are vital to allow wildlife to move around.
Social housing tenants are also being decanted from their social housing blocks Four Courts and Clifton Court has been sat empty for 2 years. This while temporary accommodation bursts at the seams. We need to be allowed to provide appropriate affordable safe and sustainable alternatives.
Find out about the collective campaign here: