'˜Grotty' Hastings building targeted

Gold Processing Company Limited, owners of 35 Cambridge Road, were summonsed to Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court on January 15, for failing to comply with a notice served on them, ordering them to clean up their act.

The notice was originally served on May 6, 2015, by Hastings Borough Council requiring that within four months of June 10, 2015, certain works were undertaken to improve the property.

The required works included cleaning, preparing and treating all render and previously painted external masonry, removing any vegetation and flaking paint to ensure the external render was in ‘an appropriate condition for repainting’ and painting all external render and previously painted external masonry with a minimum of two coats of suitable masonry paint.

Cllr Kim Forward, Hastings Borough Council’s lead member for housing, said: “The section 215 notice gives councils the power to deal with untidy land and dilapidated buildings, by getting owners to improve them.

“Our warnings were ignored by Gold Processing Company Limited as they did not take the necessary steps to make the improvements.

“One of our priorities is to build better neighbourhoods and the Grotbuster scheme is helping us to do this; we are very persistent and will prosecute property owners if our warnings are ignored.

“If owners do not comply with the 215 notice they will be fined and still expected to complete the work so it’s in their best interest to get the works done as soon as possible.”

Gold Processing Company Limited was found guilty, fined £500 with costs of £432 and a victim surcharge of £50.

The Grotbusters scheme, also known as Hastings Borough Council’s planning enforcement section, works to rid the town of derelict, dilapidated and neglected buildings.

The ‘blight fight’ started back in June, 2000, and is now recognised as an important part of the town’s ongoing regeneration effort.

The buildings targeted over the years includes a number of prominent seafront premises in Eversfield Place and Marina, as well as the cinema in Queen’s Road.

Since the initiative started, the council has advised other local authorities.

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