Parts of the county have been given a £40 million funding boost to build new homes and improve health care facilities and high streets.

Hastings and Rother will get the funding from the government’s levelling up partnerships programme.

The cash boost was announced as part of a £480 million fund for 20 areas in England and four places in Scotland that are most in need of levelling up.

Levelling Up minister Jacob Young said: “These new levelling up partnerships worth £40 million are fantastic news for the people of Hastings and Rother - and another important step in our work to accelerate regeneration and transform lives in this special part of the country.

“We are working closely with local leaders including East Sussex County Council as part of our plans to level up East Sussex, making sure residents and families reap the rewards of new and improved health services, refurbished community hubs and revamped high streets.”

Some of the projects the money will go to are:

  • Over £13 million to provide more affordable housing in Hastings, plus £9 million to build a brand-new King Offa Leisure Centre in Bexhill to release the old site and build over 50 much-needed homes.
  • £5 million to build a new Barnhorn Green Health in Bexhill to improve access to healthcare, alongside £70,000 to make improvements to Sidley Family Hub so parents and children can access the support they need.
  • £3.4 million to transform the Hollington Youth Hub, offering a wide range of health and wellbeing services in partnership with the local NHS.
  • £2.5 million to complete the Queensway Gateway Road, helping to unlock jobs, reduce congestion and ensure improved connectivity in the Bexhill-Hastings Growth Corridor.
  • £2.1 million to improve existing community facilities, including over £1 million to build a new Bexhill Community Hub.

Councillor Julia Hilton, leader of Hastings Borough Council, said: “We are really pleased that Hastings has been given this funding to help us address the housing crisis we have in our town.

“The funding means we are able to expand our housing acquisition programme and also make sure that a site earmarked for affordable housing can be built to our very high energy efficient specification and under our control.”

Rother District Council leader, Councillor Doug Oliver said: “Every single person should have the same opportunities in life, regardless of where they live but we know that, in Rother, there are barriers that limit possibilities for some people.

“This latest funding as part of the Government’s Levelling Up Partnerships programme is an amazing investment for our district and will enable us and our partners to make a real difference to people’s lives and futures.

East Sussex County Council leader, Cllr Keith Glazier said: “Hastings and Rother are areas that have suffered from significant economic and social pressures not experienced in other parts of the south east, and these investments will go some way to breaking down barriers and tackling the challenges they face.