Bexhill Hospital Developer Released From Town Centre Art Funding Agreement

Plans to build a new mental health hospital in Bexhill have been untangled from a legal agreement that would have required a £40,000 contribution to public art and improvements in the town centre.

Rother District Council’s planning committee met on Thursday (4 September) to discuss the agreement, which was originally linked to a different housing development on the same site.

When the scheme later changed to the current 54-bed Combe Valley Hospital in Mount View Street, the obligation was carried over by mistake.

Planning officer James Laibach told councillors that the contribution was not relevant to the hospital development, explaining:

“Essentially, yes,” in response to a question from committee chair Cllr Brian Drayson, who said: “So basically, the public works agreement was a mistake from last time, which we are now rectifying.”

Although the NHS trust will no longer be required to fund town centre art, councillors heard that it has already committed to its own public art project as part of the hospital scheme.

This will see a £40,000 artwork installed at the “gateway” to the site, alongside other public realm features.

The committee also approved a change to highway works obligations.

Responsibility for carrying these out will now fall to housing developer Vistry Homes Limited, rather than the NHS trust. Officers confirmed this amendment would not affect the delivery of required road improvements.

Full details can be found under application reference RR/2025/654/P on the Rother District Council website.