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The Flagship School, (Former Ark Helenswood Academy Upper School)

Planning application HS/NM/26/00374

The Flagship School, (Former Ark Helenswood Academy Upper School), The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2AE

Conditions, certificates and amendments This asks for a small change to HS/FA/21/01028, a permission already granted.

What is proposed

In the council’s words, from its weekly list:

Non-material amendment to amend Condition 2 (Approved Plans) of Planning Permission HS/FA/21/01028 to allow construction of new additional retaining wall; regrading of playing field levels; additional steps to MUGA; amendments to emergency access; door hoops to plant rooms omitted; changes to boundary treatments, fencing and railings; inclusion of bollards to accessible parking bays; and amendments to external surfacing arrangements.

Where it stands

The council’s file ↗

The decision notice on the council’s file sets out any conditions attached to a permission, or the reasons for a refusal. Read it on the file, under Documents.

Conservation and heritage on this street

Measured along the street’s line against the council’s boundaries. Whether a particular building is inside depends on where the boundary runs: each area’s page on the council’s site has its map. All 18 conservation areas

The council’s street index lists these properties on The Ridge under Article 4 directions, which take away some building work that wouldn’t otherwise need planning permission:

The council’s Article 4 direction on houses in multiple occupation covers the whole town (in force since 2 July 2012): turning a house into a shared house for three to six people needs planning permission. The council’s page ↗

1 listed building is on or beside The Ridge: the street’s page lists it.

Tree preservation orders within about 40 m of The Ridge’s line, from the council’s map data:

Indicative only — the council’s order is what counts. The council says of its tree order map data: “This dataset is under review and subject to change. Always refer to the Original Tree Preservation Order and associated plan for confirmation.” The council’s tree preservation orders page ↗

Conservation areas, Article 4 directions and tree preservation orders: Hastings Borough Council, Open Government Licence v3.0. Street lines © OpenStreetMap contributors. Listed buildings: © Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Flood zones, the coast and protected nature on this street

We place an application by the street in its address, so these say where The Ridge runs, not where the site’s boundary is. The application’s own documents on the council’s file show the site.

Flood zones

Part of The Ridge is in Flood Zone 3 (rivers). Part of it is in Flood Zone 2 (rivers). That is the Environment Agency’s flood map for planning, which shows land that could flood from rivers or the sea, ignoring the benefits of any existing flood defences.

Locations in flood zone 3 have a high probability of flooding.

This means, in any year, land has:

Flood zone 3 developments need a flood risk assessment as part of their planning application.

Locations in flood zone 2 have a medium probability of flooding.

This means, in any year, land has:

Flood zone 2 developments need a flood risk assessment as part of their planning application.

The Environment Agency’s words, from Flood zones and what they mean ↗.

A street’s line is not an address. For a particular address, use the Environment Agency’s Check your long term flood risk ↗; for a planning site, its Flood map for planning ↗. Flood warnings in force now are on Live now.

Protected nature

Natural England’s designations within about 100 m of the street’s mapped line. Each official page says what is protected there. Protected nature in Hastings

Flood zones: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. Fetched 2026-10-12.

Coastal erosion and the Shoreline Management Plan: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2015. Open Government Licence v3.0. Fetched 2026-10-12.

Protected sites: © Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Fetched 2026-10-12.

Street lines © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Comments on the application

The council’s file counts no comments from the public (as it stood on Tue 13 Oct 2026).

Who the council consulted

The bodies and officers the file lists as consulted, with the day each was asked.

Consultee responses on the file

Responses filed as consultee comments, named as the file names them, with the day each was published. What they say is in each document on the council’s file.

Is a comment public?

The council’s page on commenting says: “All comments will be made available to view online and will be treated in accordance with our privacy policy. Comments will be redacted where they contain personal information or are inappropriate in their content.” It also says: “Please note that we do not accept anonymous comments.” Commenting on an application, on the council’s site ↗ (read 13 October 2026).

We count the comments on the council’s file. We never copy a commenter’s name, address or words, and we don’t list who objected: that is on the file.

If you think work doesn’t match what was approved

The council’s planning enforcement team looks into building work or a use that may not have permission, or may not follow the approved plans or conditions. Its page explains how to report it and which cases it deals with first: planning enforcement on the council’s site ↗

Our planning record starts on 21 April 2026, from the council’s weekly lists of new and decided applications. We list the site, the proposal, the dates, the decision, the comment counts and a permission’s conditions. We never copy a commenter’s or an individual applicant’s details; an applicant is named only when it is an organisation we can match exactly to a council, a registered charity or a company on Companies House. Planning is decided by the council, not by us.