Consultants to look into funding of Uckfield town centre regeneration

Consultants have been appointed to find out how the project to regenerate Uckfield town centre can help pay for itself.

King Sturge, international property consultants, will be assessing how assets at hand can be used to help achieve redevelopment and how the Uckfield Steering Group can best work with private sector partners.

Cllr Mick Harker of Uckfield Town Council who chairs the steering group said: 'Ideally we are hoping that the cost of a range of new public facilities can be met from the sale and development of the property now in pubic ownership.'

'However market conditions have changed since the master plan process began and we need to be sure about what can be achieved by using the assets at hand.'

He added: 'We believe Uckfield is well placed to benefit as the wider economy emerges from the recession. It lies within one of the stronger housing markets in the UK and enjoys a sound retail and employment base.'

Members of the steering group include representatives of East Sussex County Council, Wealden District Council, Uckfield Town Council and East Sussex Fire and Rescue.

Each of them owns parcels of land in the town centre and want them to be used to provide community, retail, housing and infrastructure improvements and make the town centre more attractive.

Preferred options for development were unveiled at a public exhibition in Uckfield last autumn.

See previous stories:

Preferred option for Uckfield plan

Town centre plans to go on show

(Added to site Thursday, February 4th, 2010)