A popular UK town is set to undergo a major decade-long transformation following the launch of a £20 million community-led regeneration programme. The initiative, part of the government-backed Pride in Place scheme, aims to put local residents in control of reshaping their town.
Community-Led Vision
The funding will be delivered through the Eastbourne Neighbourhood Board, which has confirmed that investment will be directed into “every corner” of the town based on resident priorities. The Pride in Place Regeneration Plan outlines a ten-year vision developed through extensive consultation with residents across all wards.
Between October 2025 and January 2026, the independent board conducted workshops, online surveys, business engagement sessions, and community listening events to gather views. The resulting plan focuses on five main themes: Investing in People and Families, Community Wellbeing, Economic Eastbourne, Experience Eastbourne, and Natural Eastbourne.
Immediate Impact
£10,000 will be allocated to each neighbourhood ward for community ‘quick win’ projects. A new Citizens’ Forum will give residents direct input into funding decisions, while a schools-led group and beach school partnership aim to involve young people actively in shaping the town’s future. The board emphasized that the approach ensures funding is visible and impactful at the neighbourhood level, rather than concentrated solely in large-scale projects.
Richard Garland, Independent Chair of the Eastbourne Neighbourhood Board, said: “This is a plan created by Eastbourne people, for Eastbourne people. We’ve listened to hundreds of residents, and this plan reflects what you told us matters most. From the beginning, our vision has been about people – every single one of us who calls this town home. Real regeneration doesn’t start with buildings or infrastructure. It starts with trust, and it starts with people believing that their voice matters.”
Garland added: “Eastbourne is showing exactly what the Pride in Place programme is all about – communities taking control of their own future. This is long-term investment in local people’s priorities, shaped by their voices and delivered through their ideas. Eastbourne’s commitment to genuine community participation, from ward-level funding to youth engagement, sets a powerful example for neighbourhoods across the country.”
Priority Projects
The board has identified priority projects including community gardens, active travel improvements, town centre and seafront enhancements, environmental initiatives such as tree planting schemes, youth facilities, community health and wellbeing programmes, and safety improvements.
Josh Babarinde OBE, Member of Parliament for Eastbourne, said: “After fighting tooth and nail to ensure that Eastbourne would be included in this £20 million funding programme since I was first elected as our MP, I’m delighted that the cash is now landing locally and that it will be pumped into every corner of our town to help meet residents’ big ambitions.”
Babarinde continued: “As an Eastbourne lad born and bred, I’ve been clear that this funding must be directed by residents’ priorities and with local people involved at every stage. That’s why I’m proud that we’ve already allocated £10,000 to each neighbourhood ward of Eastbourne, putting power directly in the hands of the people who know their communities best. That’s why I’m also proud that we’re pioneering a Citizens’ Forum to give local residents a direct say over where this funding goes and what projects it supports for the long-term.”
Additional Investments
The surrounding area has also seen recent investments, such as Hawthorn Grove in the village of Westham, just outside Eastbourne. The new development offers two, three, and four-bedroom homes starting from £335,000.
Sarah and Richard Mason, who previously lived in a three-bedroom new build townhouse at Meadowburne Place in Eastbourne for five years, upsized to Hawthorn Grove using the Part Exchange Scheme. Sarah said: “We had the itch to move, but we weren’t exactly sure what we were looking for. We had a look around Hawthorn Grove, just 15-minutes down the road in Westham, and instantly fell in love with the houses on offer and the smaller size of the development. We decided if we could make it work, we would.”
She added: “We didn’t want to go through the process of selling and buying a house again, so the convenience of the Part Exchange scheme without having to worry about a chain was ideal. Recommended by the Barratt Homes team, we used Herrington Carmichael to support with the process as their team were confident in dealing with new builds and the Part Exchange process. We were offered the market value of our home, and it sold a day after being put on the market. The whole process was incredibly smooth and quick; we had moved within weeks of putting an offer in.”
The Part Exchange scheme allows Barratt Homes to buy and sell the customer’s existing property, removing the chain so buyers can move into their new home faster without paying estate agent fees. The offer is based on two independent valuations, and if the home sells for more than the agreed offer, the customer receives the profit. With the average house move now taking up to six months, the scheme speeds up the process and allows buyers to stay in their current home until the new one is ready.
