In September 2024, plans were approved by Eastbourne Borough Council to build 126 retirement apartments on land to the east of Martinique Way, at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne.
The plans were met with strong objections from many residents and were considered by the committee on two previous occasions, prior to approval.
Developer Untold Living submitted revised plans following each deferral, reducing the size of the proposed scheme each time.
The initial plans had been for 137 apartments, with the first revision reducing the number of units to 128.
The finalised plans included a further reduced number of apartments, as well as changes to the complex’s design.
However, more than two years after being approved, an email sent to nearby residents stated that it had withdrawn the gateway two application for the scheme – a formal application needed to begin work on higher-risk building projects.
The email stated that due to the process offering no timeline for approval and the ever-increasing costs of building, it had become “extremely difficult” to agree and hold a fixed price with a builder.
It wrote: “As a result, the scheme we had planned is no longer viable. This is an outcome we find enormously frustrating, and we are now looking at alternative ways to bring the site forward.
“This isn’t unique to Eastbourne. Developers across the country are facing the same challenge and it’s slowing down the delivery of much-needed new homes.”
It added: “We still believe that Eastbourne needs more high-quality retirement and residential homes and remain committed to the site being brought forward.”
Prior to approval, the plans had received mixed feedback with many objectors raising concerns over the scale of the building.
Ward councillor Kshama Shore argued the overall scheme should be made up of no more than 85 apartments and the Sovereign Harbour Residents’ Association said changes to the plans did not go far enough to address residents’ concerns.
Ultimately, however, committee members felt the latest revisions were acceptable and opted to grant planning permission.
In March last year, Eastbourne Borough Council and developer Untold Living reached an S106 agreement, confirming that the new apartments would go ahead.
A S106 agreement is a legally binding agreement or “planning obligation” between a local planning authority and a property owner or developer, aimed at mitigating the impact of the development on the local community and infrastructure.
It was agreed Untold Living would contribute £214,000 as part of their S106 settlement.
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