Residents shared their ideas on how Eastbourne’s parks and green spaces could be improved during a public consultation held in the town today (Thursday), with feedback set to help shape investment priorities over the next decade.
The event, organised by the Eastbourne Neighbourhood Board, gave members of the public the opportunity to share their views on how the town’s green spaces could be improved as part of a long-term vision for the next decade. It forms part of the board’s Pride in Place regeneration programme under the theme ‘Natural Eastbourne’.
Visitors were able to meet the team who are carrying out a comprehensive audit of parks and open spaces across the town at The Gather in The Beacon, discuss what they value most about their local parks, identify areas needing improvement and add comments directly to site plans.
The consultation covered many of Eastbourne’s best-known green spaces, including Gildredge Park and Manor Gardens, Hampden Park, Princes Park, Shinewater Park, Motcombe Gardens, Sovereign Park, Upperton Gardens, the Promenade Gardens and several smaller neighbourhood parks and open spaces.
The audit aims to assess how parks and open spaces can become more welcoming, accessible, safer and better connected, while continuing to support nature and biodiversity. The findings will help inform future proposals and investment priorities over the coming decade.
Residents who attended were encouraged to highlight the green spaces they use most frequently, identify any barriers preventing greater use and suggest improvements that could benefit people of all ages.
Those unable to attend the event were told there would be further opportunities to contribute as the project progresses, with additional engagement planned before proposals are finalised.
The parks and open spaces review is one of several projects being developed under Eastbourne’s wider Pride in Place regeneration programme, which aims to improve neighbourhoods across the town through community-led investment and long-term planning.
