Project delivery

In October 2008 an exhibition of the proposals was held at the Pavilion, giving the opportunity for the public to present their views, with 823 feedback forms completed.

The Strategic Design Framework to outline the proposals for ‘Next Wave’ was created for Rother District Council by Barker Shorten Architects.

The project has been divided into two elements: the public realm and Colonnade; and the seafront shelters. For the former, seven architectural practices were invited to tender for the role of project architect in a restricted tender process. Landscaping proposals around the Pavilion will be developed in consultation with English Heritage, and the design brief also stipulates the involvement of an artist in creating the new public spaces.

For the seafront shelters - including a kiosk - an RIBA architectural competition is due to be held, with an anticipated launch date of mid-July 2009. However, Russell says that a collaborative approach will be encouraged, and hopes that multidisciplinary architecture/art submissions will be received.

CABE Spaceshaper refines brief

Further refinements to the briefs for both elements will be made following a Cabe Spaceshaper workshop that was due to take place in early June. Russell says: “It will provide a good analysis from different user groups about the success of existing spaces from their points of view.” This information will also provide a benchmark to help measure the success of subsequent proposals.

The project’s performance will be evaluated in a number of ways, including spend levels and visitor/resident satisfaction surveys. A recently-published economic impact appraisal of the Pavilion provides a useful base-point for evaluation.

Rother District Council is confident about delivering the project, as it owns all areas proposed for change except for the public highway. Traffic calming will be developed in conjunction with East Sussex County Council’s Highways Department. The Council has also appointed a project officer to oversee delivery of the project.

Public communication

Keeping the public informed of the plans, and construction as it progresses, will be achieved through various measures including hoarding exhibitions and online blogs. Russell adds that the outline plans have been developed over a long period of time, in previous studies, which means that the proposals aren’t simply “a reactionary bid due to an available grant”.

“The seafront is the town’s greatest asset and has a high public profile,” concludes Russell. “We want to make sure the seafront experience is improved for everyone.”