Demolition of Post Office extension to start

Work is due to start next week at the Post Office building in Hastings town centre to demolish the rear extension to allow for construction work to turn the building into additional premises for the University of Brighton at University Centre Hastings (UCH).

Artist's impression of the new extension

A planning application for new UCH facilities on this site were submitted by Sea Space, the local economic development company, in September 2009 and approved in December. The plans show that the Post Office will remain on the ground floor, accessed from Cambridge Road, with the frontage cleaned and repaired as part of the refurbishment. The upper floors, which are currently empty, will be renovated. The poor quality rear extension will be replaced, with an entrance for the new building from Priory Square.

Sea Space’s demolition contractors will start work in the week commencing 1st February and the work is expected to take 15 weeks to complete.

“The front of the Post Office building is well loved and is a great feature on Cambridge Road. However, the 1960s and 1970s extension at the back, facing Priory Square, is not attractive and has served its purpose. The plans for the new UCH building include replacing this extension with space suitable for teaching and seminars.”

says Abigail Gilbert, Communications Officer for Sea Space.

Drawing of the Post Office building with the new extension

The Post Office building was identified during the early planning stages for the regeneration of Priory Quarter in Hastings as having potential for educational or office and retail use. Sea Space worked with architects Proctor & Matthews to draw up the plans to protect the building’s heritage and maximise its potential as well as maintain its current use as a Post Office. The existing University Centre premises on Havelock Road are now fully occupied and more space is needed to meet the demand for additional courses.

See the residents' and businesses' information sheet by visiting the University Centre Hastings page.

Tuesday, 26th January, 2010