Hastings boost

Work is to begin on part of the Hastings Millennium Community, government regeneration agency English Partnerships announced last week. EP is providing £15.1 million for preparation work on the 67ha Ore Valley site, where 677 homes, along with commercial, community and leisure facilities, are planned. The site is north-east of Hastings town centre. The Millennium Community also includes Hastings Station Plaza and West Marina. EP's partners in the project are Hastings Borough Council, the South-East England Development Agency, development company Sea Space, East Sussex County Council and the local community. EP regional director for southern England Duncan Innes said: "We aim to produce a development built to the highest environmental and design standards." In May, the ODPM chose Ore Valley as one of the locations to trial design codes to help speed up the delivery of well-built homes (Regeneration & Renewal, 14 May, p1).