Sovereign Harbour Innovation Park construction starts in Eastbourne

Construction of the Sovereign Harbour Innovation Park has started in Eastbourne, East Sussex, with site clearance and piling works.

The 5.5 acre business park is being created by economic development company Sea Change Sussex, with support from Eastbourne Borough Council and East Sussex County Council.

The construction work is being carried out by Buckingham Group Contracting, a £300 million turnover, family/owner-managed building company.

The project will bring new economic life to a disused site in prestigious Sovereign Harbour, 2.5 miles east of Eastbourne town centre, by attracting expanding businesses and providing local jobs.

The first development on the Park will be Pacific House (shown below) – a 2,300m² contemporary business centre.

Pacific House will be able to accommodate up to 70 firms as amix of small or medium sized businesses or, alternatively, one or two large companies.

These could be start-ups, established local firms, companies from outside the area or a combination of these.

The units available range from 58m² to the entire building, which will be able to accommodate up to 300 employees.

Pacific House is scheduled to be completed next summer, 2015. Sea Change and its agents are taking letting enquiries now, with several firms already expressing interest.

The rest of the Innovation Park offers a range of potentialsites for further commercial properties to be developed which could bring total development up to 10,000m² including Pacific House.

Anyone interested in either offices within Pacific House orother developments on the Sovereign Harbour Innovation Park should contact one of Sea Change’s agents:

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Richard Harding, Bray Fox Smith:richardharding@brayfoxsmith.com; 020 7629 5456

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Chris Broome, Cluttons:christopher.broome@cluttons.com; 01273 738383

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Alex Hobbis, Hobbis & Dyer:ahobbis@dyerandhobbis.com; 01424 423626

 

Further details:  For more about Sovereign Harbour Innovation Park and Sea Change’s broader development programme for East Sussex, visitwww.seachangesussex.co.uk.

For Buckingham Group, see www.buckinghamgroup.co.uk.

For further media information & images, contact Tariq Khwaja from PR agency
TK Associates on tariq.khwaja@tk-associates.com or 01932 224 212

The great cycling debate rumbles on... But why can't we all work together for the decent majority?

Every day as I return home from work or often later in the evening after returning from the Town Hall after representing my fellow constituents at a variety of civic engagements, I remain thankful that I live in Sovereign Harbour with its fresh sea air, close proximity to our wonderful seafront and coastline, stunning marina views, bustling waterfront life and miles and miles of wide pathways that we can walk around with our faithful hound, allow the children the freedom to scooter or rover boot or cycle around as a family - great for our health and never ending opportunities to get out and enjoy our wonderful surroundings!

Like many of my constituents, I get out and enjoy our Harbour and Seafront on a daily basis on foot and on cycle and for the record, you can cycle on the inner Harbour walkways, the promenade from the lock gates to the Martello Tower and for part of the North Harbour promenade in addition to the designated cycle paths along Harbour Quay, Pacific Drive and Atlantic Drive - you must not however cycle over locks and bridges or in front of the busy waterfront restaurants. When I walk I look out for others and often exchange a polite greeting and I apply the same courtesy and care when I cycle without any incident around the Harbour throughout over ten years of living here. Cycling on the designated seafront cycle lane between the Water Treatment Works and Fishermans Green is a somewhat different experience where both walkers and cyclists tend to become very territorial, some cyclists often firing along at higher speeds and pedestrians of all ages often wandering around seemingly oblivious to the fact that they have strayed into the cycle lane, in fact it's not uncommon to find people throwing balls for their dogs right across the path of an oncoming cyclist - why does something intended to provide safe distinction for both user groups so often lead to defensive behaviour and a lack of courtesy and awareness that exists on the shared areas around the Harbour?

I have talked to residents as I have survey canvassed during the last year throughout Sovereign Ward and I have listened to Council officials, members of our local Police force and Neighbourhood Panels, I have read letters from those concerned and those in favour but I am proud to have been one of the Councillors who voted for the relaxation of the bye law which currently prevents cyclists from using much of the seafront promenade because I believe in our town being accessible for the enjoyment of all residents of all ages at all times and I know that the vast majority of people who do actually use the promenade on a regular basis are decent people who are quite capable of respecting others and getting along without incident. 

That said, I do believe that whilst the matter is being considered by the Secretary of State there is more we can be doing as a council to address some valid concerns about seafront cycling. The previous Conservative administration planned to widen the promenade at its most narrow section between Splash Point and the Pier by installing a board walk and I believe that these plans or something similar should be revived and I also believe that the CCTV that made it possible to identify those who knocked the little four year old girl down near the Pier a few months ago should be expanded to help provide evidence if a minority do choose to disrespect the majority of law abiding citizens. Furthermore recently revised powers to tackle anti-social behaviour introduced by the Government should make it possible for the council to send a strong message that mis-use of our local environment will not be tolerated and that action can be triggered by both the council and the police to deal with offenders. Personally I would like to see a policy of a hefty fine and confiscation of the culprits cycle publicised as a deterrent and the Council's Neighbourhood First team used more widely and equipped with body mounted cameras to help monitor the promenade for the benefit of all, perhaps supported by community cycling speed enforcement in a similar way that has been successfully trialled in some rural villages with speed cameras enabling Police resources to be used in a more targeted way on the rare occasion that there is an incident.

However in recent days two petitions have been started and circulated by the Sovereign Harbour Residents Association and circulated amongst Neighbourhood Panel committees, inviting people to vote against cycling on the both the seafront and around Sovereign Harbour. I share disappointment being expressed by some residents who don't feel that the SHRA have a mandate as an association to do this without consulting all residents more widely, indeed cycling has not been raised as a concern at either the last SHRA annual meeting in May this year or any I can remember before that. Indeed looking at the twitter feeds of those behind these petitions, it appears that this is more the personal view of a small number of people and I think it would have been more appropriate that if they felt so strongly about the subject, they launched the petitions as individuals rather than under the guises of the SHRA and through the Neighbourhood Panel.

As a Sovereign Ward Councillor I have worked very closely with the SHRA committee on a vast number of issues and I think that together we have achieved a great deal which has helped make Sovereign Harbour the wonderful place it is today with such a largely bright future. On this matter though I think it could have been handled better and I would urge them to reconsider withdrawing using their SHRA and Neighbourhood Panel positions to promote it until residents views can be more widely understood. I would far rather work with them to see that the decent majority of residents are not prevented from enjoying our beautiful surroundings and that a tiny mindless minority who may seek to spoil life for all are sent a strong message and dealt with firmly.

Cllr Warner calls for crackdown on violent crime following spate of cycling related incidents

Following the relatively recent vote to begin the process of relaxing inadequate bye laws which prevent cycling on Eastbourne's seafront promenade, taken by a majority of Councillors on both sides of the chamber of Eastbourne Borough Council there has been a spate of violent crimes involving cyclists.

First the little girl who was knocked down near The Pier, after which the two cyclists involved sped away and only came forward to answer for their actions after being identified on seafront CCTV footage. Then last week an elderly gentlemen was badly beaten up following an autication with a thug on two wheels. Additionally there have been incidents where cyclists have come off worst against motorists.

Now I know that opinion is deeply divided on whether cyclists should be able to join pedestrians on our promenades but the fact remains, the bye law is still currently in place but it has done nothing to prevent innocent people becoming victims of violent crime. 

That is why during the full council meeting held earlier this evening, I called on fellow Councillors who serve on the JAG Committee (the Joint Action Group which brings representatives of the emergency services together with various agency partners) to work with the Community Safety Partnership to urgently draw up plans to crack down on this type of violent crime.

Regardless of whether the bye law is relaxed next year or not, I believe it is vital that the sense of community which the decent majority demonstrated is so alive and well in Eastbourne following the tragic Pier fire, is not threatened by a mindless minority of individuals who think it perfectly acceptable to treat others with such disrespect. I will be keeping up pressure for this minority to receive a very clear message, you are not welcome in Eastbourne!