Former Head Post Office, 16 Cambridge Road, Hastings, TN34 1AA
New homes This uses the prior-approval route: national rules allow the work, and the council can check only set things, such as its size or its effect on neighbours.
What is proposed
In the council’s words, from its weekly list:
Notification for prior approval for change of use from Class E (Offices) on ground floor to Class C3 (Residential) to provide 4 dwellings.
The description states 4 homes. The application describes a change from Class E (offices) to Class C3 (residential). That is how the application describes it, not a finding of the lawful use.
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.
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 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 Cambridge Road: the street’s page lists it.
Tree preservation orders within about 40 m of Cambridge Road’s line, from the council’s map data:
TPO 152: made 26 October 1993, confirmed 31 March 1994; 12 trees, 2 groups of trees, 3 woodlands in the order. The order (PDF) ↗
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 ↗
Flood zones, the coast and protected nature on this street
We place an application by the street in its address, so these say where Cambridge Road runs, not where the site’s boundary is. The application’s own documents on the council’s file show the site.
Flood zones
None of Cambridge Road’s line is in Flood Zone 2 or 3 on the Environment Agency’s flood map for planning. In the Agency’s words: “This means a site in flood zone 1 could still flood now or in the future.”
No Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation, Local Nature Reserve, ancient woodland or country park is within about 100 m of Cambridge Road’s line, and it is outside the High Weald National Landscape. Protected nature in Hastings
HBC Senior SUDS and Flood Risk Officer, asked Wed 5 Aug 2026
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.
CONSERVATION OFFICER COMMENTS (CONS OFFICER), Mon 29 Jun 2026
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, Thu 16 Jul 2026
ESCC LLFA COMMENTS, Fri 17 Jul 2026
ESCC HIGHWAYS, Mon 20 Jul 2026
HSE, Thu 23 Jul 2026
HSE, Tue 4 Aug 2026
BUILDING SAFETY REGULATOR?S (BSR) SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE, Tue 8 Sep 2026
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.
Similar applications nearby
Other applications of the same kind (new homes) on Cambridge Road or in Castle ward, decided ones first, since our record starts on 21 April 2026. A refusal is marked; its reasons are in the decision notice on the council’s file. Each application is decided on its own facts.
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.