The Challenge

• In 2020, our Planning, Development & Regeneration team were instructed to provide planning services to Wealden District Council to progress a Masterplan for Hailsham Town Centre, known as Hailsham Aspires.
• We joined the design team and client to assist in setting the brief, which broadly comprised bringing forward ambitious development proposals that can enhance and regenerate Hailsham Town Centre to support local communities now and into the future. 
• The brownfield, town centre site has a number of constraints including a Grade I listed building, which will need to be addressed in a future planning application.

Our Solution

• We worked with the client and design team, including architects Conran + Partners and technical advisors Hilson Moran, to progress development proposals for the site to RIBA Stage 2.
• Our team undertook planning feasibility reports, planning strategies, retail and evening economy analysis, residential and housing analysis and a range of other reports and work streams to support the brief and justify the emerging proposals. 
• We entered into a number of pre-application meetings with Wealden District Council, Historic England and East Sussex County Council to gain feedback from officers to progress the scheme.
• The emerging development proposals were for residential units, commercial and retail floorspace, a new leisure centre, new civic offices amongst car parking, social infrastructure and open space.
• Finally, we into a comprehensive Stage 2 Report which will be used by the Council to consider its options.

The Results

• The client received valuable planning advice to assist the progression of a scheme to RIBA Stage 2. Our team worked through a number of challenges to ensure the development proposals could support the Council’s requirements to consider options relating to the redevelopment of the town centre.