Latest News

For info on Site 1 plans click here.. 

For info on Site 7a plans click here.. 

For info on Martello Tower plans click here.. 

16 July - Crumbles Food and Craft Market - The monthly Crumbles Food and Craft Market is back on Friday, 1st August from 10am to 1pm at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre and will have a Teddy Bear theme for the little ones during the summer school break. Not only will there be the usual selection of foods and crafts plus the onsite pop-up cafe, they will also have free children’s crafts and storytelling throughout the morning. Bring your best Teddy Bear friend and enjoy the morning at the Community Centre.  Click here for poster... The market is organised by Townandvillagemarkets.co.uk

14 July - Odour Issues at Langney Point - Residents living in South Harbour have received a flyer from Southern Water giving information on the cause of the potent odour we’ve been experiencing, particularly this summer, and what they plan to do about it.  Click here to read it... 

14 July - SHRA Submits Objections to Aldi Illuminated Signage (see the two items below) -  SHRA has listened to the comments made by members and lodged our objections to both applications because they will create light pollution for nearby residents. We lodged similar objections when both B&M and Smyths Toys sought permission to erect illuminated signage on their shops facing residential areas. EBC refused permission in those cases, and we have cited the decisions as precedents. You can read our objection letters by clicking here for 250379 and here for 250348... 

06 July - Vancouver Road Children’s Playground -  We’ve had a bit of success with EBC! The children’s playground on Vancouver Road looked very unwelcoming; overgrown and coated in bird droppings, it had been neglected. After a fair amount of emailing and cajoling, we were delighted to see the park looking much cleaner. Sometimes it’s the small things that keep the harbour looking good. Click for larger image...

04 July - Aldi Totem and Advertising Signs Planning Application - Aldi have submitted a planning application for illuminated signs on the front, side and rear (the latter facing Pacific Drive) of the Aldi store building, and for a 6-metre tall illuminated totem sign, which will be positioned at the corner entrance to Pacific Drive facing the roundabout. Click here for design and location images...  Comments need to be made by 17 July, and can be submitted online via the EBC planning portal at:
https://www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/article/2087/?RefType=APPPlanCase&KeyText=250348, where the full application can be examined. 

27 June - Aldi Sign Planning Application - Aldi have submitted a planning application for an illuminated sign at the entrance of the new store on Pacific Drive. The whole sign is approximately 2 metres high and 2 metres wide. The smaller Aldi logo and wording would be illuminated during store opening hours. Click here for a design and location image...  Comments need to be made by 20 July, and can be submitted online on the EBC planning portal at:
https://www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/article/2087/?RefType=APPPlanCase&KeyText=250379, where the full application can be examined.

22 June - Licence Application from McDonald's to open between 11pm and 5am - SHRA has been in contact with Lewes & Eastbourne Borough Council’s Licensing Department and received the following response:

"Please note the consultation deadline for representations is midnight on the 26th June 2025. If you wish to make a representation from the Sovereign Harbour Residents Association, we would need either a petition or supporting representations from those residents who wish for the SHRA to represent them. Or, if they are able to submit their own representations, please note, all representations to be valid must be relevant to the four licensing objectives* and the representor must provide their full name and home address. This is the same for a petition, with the addition of a time, date and signature, and preferably an email address."

*The four licensing objectives are:
    • the prevention of crime and disorder
    • public safety
    • the prevention of public nuisance
    • the protection of children from harm 

SHRA has received a few emails on this matter, opposing the application. It appears that the best course of action will be for residents (whether in favour or against) to make their representations directly to the Licensing Department before the 26th June deadline at: licensing@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk. You must include your full name and address when submitting comments on the application.  The address for commenting by post is shownin the item below dated 12 June.

18 June - Notes of SHRA AGM Published - A note of SHRA's AGM that includes the Q&As put to the guest speakers, Michael Newton-Smith, Director of Eastbourne U10 Fishermans CIC, and Josh Babarinde OBE MP, has been published on our AGM page...

14 June - The Harbour WI - The Harbour WI has published its latest newsletter, which contains a report of its June meeting. Find it on The Harbour WI webpages here... www.shra.co.uk/wi/newsletter

12 June - McDonald’s Seek All Night Licence for New Crumbles Retail Park Outlet  - The licence application requests the provision of late night refreshment between the hours of 11pm and 5am, Mondays to Sundays, for consumption on and off the premises. Representation about the grant of the licence should be emailed to licensing@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk or posted to:
Licensing Team,
Eastbourne Town Hall
Grove Road
Eastbourne
BN21 4UG.
The deadline for the receipt of submissions is midnight on June 26, 2025.

05 June -  SHRA newsletter Published - The June issue of Waterlines our bi-monthly PDF newsletter has been published online. Find it on the Waterlines page... 

09 May—Odour Issues at Langney Point Wastewater Treatment Works—When SHRA members complained about the unpleasant smells coming from Southern Water's wastewater treatment works, we contacted the office of MP Josh Babarinde, as we knew he was aware of the issue.

In response, Josh's office told us that Josh had raised the issue with Southern Water (SW) in August 2024, soon after being elected. At the time, SW replied, “We are currently experiencing some issues with the air scrubber system on-site. We are working hard to fix these issues as quickly and safely as possible.” Click here for SW's 2024 letter in full...

Josh's office went on to say that, "Little has changed since then—if anything, the situation has worsened.  As a result, Josh wrote to Southern Water again in early April 2025 to demand swift answers and meaningful action." Click here to read Josh's 2025 letter to SW...

"Josh also raised the issue in person with senior Southern Water officers at a recent meeting. They confirmed that a full investigation is now underway.  We’re very aware that the smell tends to get worse during the summer months, so we’re pushing hard to get this resolved ASAP."

Complaints about the smell should be made to Southern Water via their website at www.southernwater.co.uk/report-a-problem or by calling their Customer Service telephone number: 0330 303 0368. You may wish to let the MP's office know as well. Email: josh.babarinde.mp@parliament.uk

03 May - No SHRA Discount at Rustico - A member has informed us that, for the moment, Rustico, the new owners of Simply Italian at The Waterfront, do not offer the discount to SHRA members that Simply Italian did.

Over time, some news items may migrate to the News Archive page or another relevant page of the SHRA website.