Planning Matters - Spring 2008
Peter Beake, Conservation Advisor Eastbourne Society.

As the present Town Hall administration beds down, one detects that there is a definite change in the "political air" of Eastbourne. The Society is currently connecting with this change of mood and developing stronger ties with councillors as part of a policy to hopefully broaden the influence of its membership.

The leader of the council has agreed to accept our chairman's invitation to be co-opted onto the committee, and has found time from his busy schedule to attend a number of meetings. David Tutt has listened to the discussions and has already taken some points straight back to his members for actioning. This has to be good for communications and feed-back between council and the society. Whilst the council struggle with the difficulties of their financial budgeting, there has been a repeat of the same robust correspondence highlighting an urgent need to improve funding for the delivery of the planning service, that took place with the previous administration.

According to the last Peer review, the delivery of the planning service is under-resourced in terms of personnel and finance. This discipline has been an easy target in the past for financial cuts. Well qualified and experienced staff have been lost in favour of a "grow your own" dogma offering a cheaper, although not necessarily better option. It is difficult to quantify the effect of these "savings" on the built environment but one does not have to cast one's mind back too far to recall some unfortunate planning decisions that might have been avoided with greater expertise being in place for the assistance of elected members and officers. One senses that inward investment may be being prejudiced under the present planning regime. Only last week it was announced that the trustees of a valuable private art collection had decided to promote a new gallery for its display in Hastings, following their appraisal of the area. Was Eastbourne ever in contention for this project? We will probably never know but the recent adverse publicity surrounding the Birley Centre refusal, could not have done us any favours This brings me neatly on to the recent appointment of a "Design Champion" for the authority.

Councillor Rebecca Madell, as planning committee chair, is now the appointed Design Champion for the Borough of Eastbourne. The Society has already welcomed her acceptance of this additional role, as the first step in restoring the profile of architectural design within the authority. It is to be hoped that Councillor Madell will now successfully carry her fellow members of the planning committee with her, in an effort to raise the profile of architectural design from the level to which it has gradually subsided in recent times. One thinks of "horses and stable doors," but if she can persuade her leader to divert increased financial resources into the delivery of the planning service, she will have earned our eternal gratitude.

With this appointment in place, the first priority is for members to receive some urgent tuition in the way new developments may be integrated into conservation areas. At present it appears that only domestic "pastiche" is readily acceptable to the planning committee, however poor it maybe at times. Some speculative builders are understandably adept at exploiting this trend and their applications proceed smoothly. Place an architectural design before the committee, even with officer's approval, and more often than not it will get a rough ride irrespective of quality and may ultimately be refused. The familiar will always succeed over the unfamiliar. There must be a negative effect on the economy of the borough in terms of inward investment and high quality employment, with this very real planning risk in prospect. Just a modest realignment of your financial resources, and a firm educational nudge to your planning committee members, Mr Tutt could have a substantial benefit for our future.