8.38

Bexhill Town Centre is an important place, providing shops, services, jobs and homes to residents of the town. It is a complex place and therefore it is appropriate, in principle, for the Core Strategy to include a policy relating to it. Draft Policy BX2 promotes appropriate uses within the centre, along with a related approach to movement around it and to the design and development within it.

The draft policy draws upon research undertaken to quantify shopping needs and recognises that it is highly unlikely that such provision can be met within the Town Centre. Accordingly, edge of centre expansion to the north of the railway is proposed. This is consistent with, but less detailed than paragraph 8.38. Our clients own commercial land at Beeching Road which is now of poor quality for industrial purposes. They consider that it can be brought forward for redevelopment to meet needs for retail development identified at BX2(iii) and paragraph 8.38. Therefore, they consider that the approach of the Core Strategy towards Bexhill Town Centre is both sound and deliverable.