Eastbourne Fisherman’s Quay and Infrastructure Development – Phases 2 and 3

The Fisherman’s Quay will be a vibrant, multi-purpose destination which combines a sustainable fishing industry for the local area with a heritage visitor destination. Delivery of the Fisherman’s Quay will maximise the local economic benefits arising from the fishing activity, through transforming an uneven, open yard into a resilient and productive community asset.

The site is currently used for the open-air landing and preparation of fish and shellfish by Eastbourne’s inshore static gear fishing fleet. Fish are caught, landed and sold on the same day, exposing local fishermen to short-term swings in supply and demand.

The current open-air arrangement presents a risk to the public, who are not allowed on the site, as well as to the fisherman themselves. The project aims to improve working conditions through the provision of on-site toilets and access to running water. In addition, the project seeks to provide storage facilities for the fleet’s fishing equipment which will both improve safety on the site and help safeguard the condition of this equipment.

The project will be delivered in three phases:

• Phase 1 will deliver the completion of site works, drainage and servicing for the whole site, alongside delivery of a three storey,
  270 sqm space to house equipment for ice production, cold storage and the processing of fish. Phase 1 will also deliver an on-site retail unit for wet fish sales.
• Phase 2 will deliver two buildings, which are joined on the upper floors, offering 360 sqm of new space. The ground and first floors will provide storage space for fishing and landing equipment as well as a repair workshop.
• Phase 3 will deliver a 150 sqm building which will be used as a Visitor Centre and as a base for the Eastbourne Fisherman’s under 10m
  Community Interest Company’s outreach and engagement work, which will include operating as a training venue for mandatory sea survival and first aid courses, provision of courses in preparing and cooking seafood and the hosting of educational open days.

The LGF funding has been awarded to facilitate delivery of Phases 2 and 3, whilst delivery of Phase 1 of the project is supported by a Growing Places Fund loan. 

Funding approval

The project was considered by the Accountability Board on 3rd July 2020 and the decision was made to approve the award of LGF funding to the project, subject to the following funding condition being met:

• the final third of the 2020/21 LGF allocation being transferred by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government or the Strategic Board prioritising the project for funding, should only part of the final third of LGF be confirmed by Government.

The final third of the 2020/21 LGF allocation was received from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government on 19th August 2020 and therefore the funding condition has been met and the LGF allocation for the project has been confirmed.

Award of additional LGF funding and change of project scope

The LGF COVID-19 response fund was established to support those existing LGF projects which were experiencing a funding gap due to cost increases or loss of local funding sources as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A new LGF project pipeline, consisting of existing LGF projects, was agreed by the Strategic Board in December 2020 and will be used as the basis for awarding all currently unallocated LGF funding.

This project was included on the new LGF project pipeline and the award of an additional £0.36m LGF was approved by Accountability Board on 12th February 2021.

The report presented to Accountability Board also set out a proposed change of project scope. It was proposed that the facilities offered by Phases 2 and 3 of the project be brought together into one building so as to reduce construction costs in light of increases seen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach ensured that the same facilities would be delivered through the new project scope, however, the scale of these facilities will be reduced. Despite the proposed change in project scope, the project will continue to offer significant productivity and resilience benefits for the fishing fleet and therefore the Accountability Board chose to agree the change in project scope.

£579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock

In total the SELEP Growth Deal with Government has brought £579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock. Over the lifetime of the Growth Deal (2015-2021) we aim to deliver 78,000 jobs and 29,000 homes across the SELEP area, with the Deal set to attract a further £960m of investment into the South East over the six year period.

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