Plans to build a marina and more than 1,000 homes in an East Sussex seaside town have been unveiled by developers.

In a statement, Hastings Harbour Quarter Limited (HHQ) said that the scheme would include a "state-of-the-art working marina for up to 600 vessels".

The scheme is also intended to provide 1,300 homes, including homes for "harbour and key workers", the statement said.

The statement said that there remains a "great deal of work to ascertain how the harbour will, with public consultation and support, be viable". "As part of the process, HHQ will be holding consultations with the public and interested parties over the size, location and access arrangements".

HHQ director Andrew Doyle said: "This is truly a transformational potential development for the people of Hastings.

"We believe that this development will provide many much-needed jobs and continue the regeneration of Hastings which has seen tremendous improvements in the last few years."

Hastings Borough Council leader Peter Chowney said that the scheme could bring "potentially very significant benefits for the town", including a new marina providing moorings, boat storage facilities and support services, around 1,000 - 1,300 new homes, a protected launching and landing site for the town’s fishing fleet and transport improvements to the area.

But he added: "There are still a lot of questions to be answered, before I'd be comfortable with the scheme."

He said that the scheme should provide at least 25 per cent affordable housing and that access for vehicles would need to be achieved without damaging the Stade - Hastings’ shingle beach - and its character.

Source: Planning Resourse