Visitor centre redevelopment at West Hill Cafe, Hastings

“HS/FA/26/00093 Demolition of the existing café and toilets and redevelopment to form a single storey visitor centre with café, restaurant and bar, takeaway, gallery/interpretation zones, retail (mixed use Class E and Class F1) and reprovision of toilets on the site of the existing West Hill Café. Creation of a new pathway/boardwalk and installation of external lighting on pathways.”

“Demolition of the existing café and toilets and redevelopment to form a single storey visitor centre with café, restaurant and bar, takeaway, gallery/interpretation zones, retail (mixed use Class E and Class F1) and reprovision of toilets on the site of the existing West Hill Café. Creation of a new pathway/boardwalk and installation of external lighting on pathways.”

“Site and surrounding area The West Hill Café, which is within the Old Town conservation area, is located on top of the West Hill, north-west of the historic Old Town, adjacent to the Grade II listed West Hill Lift, and immediately north-east of the Grade I listed Hastings Castle.”

“Constraints • Scheduled Monument – Hastings Castle, the Collegiate Church of St. Mary and the Ladies’ Parlour • Conservation Area 01 – Old Town • SSSI Impact Risk Zone • Historic Parks and Gardens (Non-Registered) – West Hill • Archaeological Notification Area – Hastings Historic Core • Land Stability Cliff and Slope Buffer • Local Wildlife Site • GCN District Licensing Scheme IRZ – Red • GCN District Licensing Scheme Pond Buffer 250m • Land Owned, Leased, Licensed or Held…”

“Public Consultation Site notice: Yes Press advertisement: Yes - Affects a Listed Building Neighbour Letters: No People objecting: Petitions of objection received: People in support: Petitions of support received: Neutral comments received: 0”

“Application status: Not delegated - Petition contrary to officer recommendation received Council application on Council owned land.”

“Will Larkin, Principal Planning Officer, explained that the application had been previously considered by Planning Committee on 8 July 2026, where members resolved to grant planning permission subject to conditions and the completion of a legal agreement to secure a Biodiversity Net Gain monitoring fee.”

“The proposal before members therefore remained identical to that previously considered, with no changes to the description of the development, the proposed plans nor the supporting documents. However, at the July Committee, the biodiversity net gain monitoring fee was proposed to be secured through a legal agreement, which was standard practice.”

“Helen Monaghan, Planning Lawyer, advised the Committee that the approved mechanism for securing the biodiversity net gain monitoring fee through a Section 106 agreement was disproportionate in the circumstances of a Council-led development on Council-owned land. It was explained that separate legal representation would be required for the Council’s property, planning and enforcement interests, which would result in unnecessary costs.”

“At the invitation of the Chair, Councillor Lauchlan sought clarification on the location of the proposed heat pump fans. The Principal Planning Officer advised that those details would be considered through a future discharge of condition application.”

“With approval of the application in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation having been proposed by Councillor Lawrence, duly seconded by Councillor Rumfitt, and there being no debate, the Chair called upon the Committee to vote and it was…”

“RESOLVED (unanimously): To GRANT Full Planning Permission subject to the conditions set out in the Officer’s report.”