Hastings Football Stadium Plans And 86 New Homes Approved

A new football stadium in Hastings has been approved, despite the council’s stated intention not to sell land needed for the development to go ahead. 

On Wednesday (June 1), Hastings Borough Council’s planning committee permitted an application from Hastings United Football Club to build a 1,950 capacity stadium at the Tilekiln Playing Fields, together with a sports hall, parking and two 3G pitches.  

During the same meeting the committee also approved an outline application to build up to 86 new homes at The Pilot Field — Hastings United’s current grounds. 

While considered separately, the committee heard that the applications were deeply linked as permission for the housing scheme relied on a replacement ground coming forward, while the club said building of the new stadium requires income from the housing development.

Both schemes had a significant number of objections — due to concerns around their respective impacts on the surrounding areas — but were approved in line with recommendations from planning officers. 

Even so, the granting of planning permission does not guarantee the developments will actually be built out. 

To move ahead, the schemes will require Hastings Borough Council to sell land to Hastings United. This land sale had previously been approved in principle by the council’s cabinet, but this offer was rescinded in March, with the council citing a desire to maintain Tilekiln Playing Fields as a public open space.

At the time, Hastings Borough Council said the club had put in the applications “even though there were outstanding issues to be agreed before it could commit to the sale”. This is disputed by the club, which says the council encouraged it to put in the applications while legal mechanics were being worked out.

The club, which says it has spent in excess of £200,000 on these applications, has said it is considering taking legal action and seeking a judicial review against the council. 

In any case, land ownership is not necessary to secure planning permission and, as a result, the committee was to make its decision without consideration of these issues.

During the meeting, however, the club’s chief executive Billy Wood was asked why the application had been brought forward at this time.

He said:

“This planning application and process has been a long drawn out affair for the football club. It deserved to be heard and we believe that the project is worthwhile for our town. 

“Coming out and making a statement, like he [council leader Paul Barnett] did, before the planning meeting; it is what it is. But we feel that this should be heard as a planning situation and the decision be made as a planning situation.

“From that moment we can collectively make a decision about how we move forward, but at least we will know where we stand on the planning thing that we have been waiting on for a very long time.”

For further information on the proposals see applications HS/OA/20/00673 and HS/FA/20/00669 on the Hastings Borough Council website.