Hastings Council

Hastings Borough has a relatively high population density with pockets of severe deprivation. The project included working with neighbouring authorities and National Governing Bodies to identify facilities across the wider area, alongside planning implications and opportunities, while meeting sport development strategic priorities. The strategy was undertaken alongside Rother District Council’s PPS and examined the import and export of demand across the local authority boundaries.

Key outputs were a detailed site-by-site action plan and wider recommendations on how sports provision should be developed across the local authority. Detailed population projections provided the Council’s planning team with accurate site allocations, based on the future need for sports provision.

A key success of the project was recommendations for the Horntye Sports Hub. Due for completion this year, the site will feature a 3,000-capacity football stadium, home to Hastings United, adult and junior cricket pitches, floodlit artificial grass pitches, grass football pitches and an artificial sand-dressed hockey pitch along with additional tennis provision.