Assets of community value

Land and buildings in Hastings listed as assets of community value, and the nominations the borough council turned down, from its own register.

Read on 12 October 2026 from the council's asset registers and community assets for sale pages.

What listing does

A community group can nominate a building or land it uses; the council lists it if it meets the Localism Act 2011's test. While it is listed, an owner who wants to sell must tell the council. That starts six weeks in which a community group can ask to be treated as a bidder (the initial moratorium); if one does, six months from the notice in which the owner can sell only to a community group (the full moratorium); and eighteen months from the notice in which a sale needs no new moratorium (the protected period). The council's page says: “The triggering of the Initial Moratorium Period does not restrict in any way who the owner of the asset can sell his or her property to, or at what price and it does not confer a right of first refusal to community interest groups, but allows a local community group to prepare and submit a bid for the property.” The government's advice note on the community right to bid explains the rules.

Listed

• St Mary in the Castle

  Pelham Crescent

  Listed 5 April 2023; listing to be reviewed by 4 April 2028.

• Hastings Pier

  White Rock · Hastings Pier

  Listed 6 November 2023; the owner gave notice of a sale on 15 October 2025; initial moratorium ended 26 November 2025; full moratorium ended 15 April 2026; protected period ends 15 April 2027; listing to be reviewed by 6 November 2028.

  The council's page of assets for sale puts it in its protected period: the owner can sell to anyone without a new moratorium.

• Hollington Community Centre

  Listed 9 September 2026; listing to be reviewed by 8 September 2031.

Nominations the council turned down

Each with the council's reasons, as it published them.

• Speckled Wood - 2014 nomination

  Not listed

  The council's reasons

  • 1: Insufficient detailed evidence was submitted to justify the inclusion of the area of land
  • 2: Operational business premises were included which are not considered to be assets of community value
  • 3: Residential properties and gardens of residential properties have been included which are not considered to be assets of community value
  • 4: Some of the land nominated is enclosed by fencing and is not considered to have been used by the local community in recent years
  • 5: There are areas of the land which do not appear to have been used by the local community and remain overgrown
  • 6: Due to the nominated land not being considered to be an existing asset of community value it is therefore not considered realistic for it to continue to be used for the social wellbeing or social interest of the local community
• The Welcome Stranger

  Not listed · 55 Sedlescombe Road North, St Leonards on Sea, TN37 7DA

  The council's reasons

  • As Section 88 of the Act indicates, in order for land to be considered of community value there must be a current non-ancillary use which furthers the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community. A number of the reasons provided by the nominating body and listed above are ancillary to the main activity of the pub which is the sale of alcohol. There is no compelling evidence of substantial community use or wellbeing as required under the legislation and Government guidance. Where evidence has been provided they did not show that the community usage was any greater than what would be otherwise provided by 9 other public houses within 1 mile radius.
• Former power station site, including land to the south of the former power station, Ore Valley

  Not listed

  The council's reasons

  • (i) restricted public access to part of the nominated area;
  • (ii) limited duration of the activities which have taken place;
  • (iii) uncertainty that activities which contribute to community wellbeing or community interest can realistically take place on the whole of the nominated area beyond February 2018;
  • (iv) the whole of the nominated area cannot remain as an asset of community value once housing has been developed on part of the site.
• The Observer Building, 53 Cambridge Road, Hastings, TN34 1EL

  Not listed · The Observer Building

  The council's reasons

  • The former Observer building does not meet the definition of an asset of community value contained in the Localism Act 2011 In view of:
  • (i) the restricted public access to part of the nominated area,
  • (ii) the limited duration of the activities which have taken place,
  • (iii) the uncertainty that activities which contribute to community wellbeing or community interest can realistically take place on the whole of the nominated area, these points together indicate that it is not realistic to assume that the use of the whole of the nominated area (whether or not in the same way) will contribute the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community over the next 5 years
• "Speckled Wood" - Land off Graystone Lane

  Not listed

  The council's reasons

  • 1. Insufficient detailed evidence was submitted to justify the inclusion of the area of land;
  • 2. Activities taking place within the land are ancillary to the main use of the land;
  • 3. Due to the nominated land not being considered to be an existing asset of community value it is therefore not considered realistic for it to continue to be used for the social wellbeing or social interest of the local community.
• Queens Arcade

  Not listed

  The council's reasons

  • 1. Insufficient detailed evidence was submitted to justify the inclusion of the arcade;
  • 2. Reasons given to support listing are ancillary to the main use of the asset as a commercial unit;
  • 3. There is no evidence to support that community usage would be greater than for other commercial units within the town centre;
  • 4. Due to the nominated not being considered to be an existing asset of community value it is therefore not considered realistic for it to continue to be used for the social wellbeing or social interest of the local community.

Buildings and land the council itself owns are on What the council owns; its papers on selling or leasing them are on Council land and buildings.