This page focuces on the history of the development of Sovereign Harbour. Below you will find a timeline of events.
This fantastic aerial photo from about 1990 shows the Atlantic Drive area, the newly-completed retail park (Asda opened in 1989) and the area that became The Waterfront. It also shows the construction of Boston Close and the flooded gravel pits and ponds on The Crumbles that were filled in or adapted to create Sovereign Harbour. Thanks to Len Smith, who posted the photo to The History of Eastbourne Facebook Group, for his permission to reproduce it here. I have added a modern view of the area for comparison and red crosses to a matching location to aid orientation. Click the thumbnail to view the full-size images. 
1967 - A harbour village incorporated into the Eastbourne urban plan.
1975 - Eastbourne Harbour Bill blocked in Parliament
1980 - A new Eastbourne Harbour Bill passed.
1980 - Harbour construction plans were shelved due to rising costs.
1986 - Plans for a harbour, marina, an hotel and 2,000 homes announced.
1988 - Chatsworth Trustees pull out and sell land to Tarmac and Asda.
1988 - An amended Harbour Bill passed.
1989 - Asda superstore opens.
1990 - Housing development commences west of Atlantic Drive.
1991 - Digging out of inner and outer harbours begins.
1992 - Construction of locks and lining of harbour commences.
1993 - Harbour and marina operational.
1996 - South Harbour housing development commences
1997 - Residential development and construction of North Harbour approved.
1997 - Construction of homes around the West Harbour area approved.
1999 - Tarmac demerges its construction business
under the name Carillion.
1999 - Construction of 'The Waterfront' commences.
2001 - Haven School opens (newspaper report).
2001 - Residential development and water feature of South Harbour approved.
2005 - B&Q plans for a superstore rejected.
2006 - 'Five Sites' residential plans rejected.
2007 - Premier Marinas acquired Sovereign Harbour Marina.
2008 - Petition for a Parish Council for Sovereign Harbour refused.
2009 - Local Liberal Democrats publish a draft MasterPlan.
2009 - MP Nigel Waterson responded to the Liberal Dem's Master Plan.
2009 - Harbour Medical Centre plans approved.
2009 - Following a consultation, EBC publishes an LDF feedback report.
2010 - Pacific Drive adopted.
2010 - Planned residential construction ends.
2010 - Medical Centre build commences
2010 - 'The Eastbourne Plan' proposes further residential development.
2011 - Plans to improve and rename the retail park announced
2011 - Joint Statement over future development at Sovereign Harbour.
2011 - Plans were submitted for the regeneration of the retail park.
2011 - Medical Centre opens.
2013 - Sovereign Harbour SPD ratified.
2013 - Fishing Quay application given consent.
2013 - Outline Master Plan application given consent.
2014 - Outline Planning permission granted for Sites 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 (EBC Planning Application Ref: 131002).
2015 -
Community Centre plans approved for site 5.
2015 - Pacific House opens in the Innovation Park
2016 - Site 5 was declared unfit in January 2016. See Waterlines issue April 2016.
2016 - The revised Fishing Quay application was given consent.
2016 - Reserved matters planning application for Site One given consent.
2016 - Reserved matters planning application for Site Eight given consent.
2016 - Reserved matters planning app. for Site Seven (b and c) given consent.
2017 - House building on Site 8 commences.
2017 - House
building on Site 7c (Macaulay Place) commences.
2017 - House building (Phase
1) on Site 1 commences.
2017 - Community Centre planning application submitted.
2017
- Building of Community Centre on Site 6 commences.
2017 -
The Community Centre and Innovation Park service road was completed.
2018 - Collapse of Carillion plc
2018 - Community Centre nears completion.
2018 - The Waterfront, Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club and development sites 3, 4 & 5 acquired by Premier Marinas following collapse of Carillion.
2018 - Site 8 Port Moresby Place completed - public open space remains unfinished
2019 - The internal fitting of the Community Centre is still not finished.
2019 - The start of Fishermens Quay construction was delayed.
2019 - First homes on Site 7c (Macaulay Place) occupied.
2019 - Site 1 - White Point townhouses completed.
2019 - First events held in the Community Centre.
2020 - The official opening of the Community Centre was postponed due to the pandemic.
2020 - Commencement of Fishermens Quay construction
2021 - Phase 1 of Fishermens Quay is completed. Quay Fisheries opens.
2022 - Site 7a - A joint development by Aldi, McCarthy Stone, and LNT Care proposed an Aldi store and car park, a 66-bed, three-story residential care home and a block of 57 retirement living units.
2023 - Site 7a joint development approved despite local objections.
2023 - Quay Fisheries closes.
2024 - EBC approved the demolition of existing buildings in the centre of the retail park car park and the erection of two takeaway buildings with drive-thru facilities for a McDonald's and a Costa Coffee.
2024 - Latter stages of house building on Site 7c (Macaulay Place) continue.
2024 - Untold Living proposes a retirement complex on Site 1 of 137 flats.
2024 - Untold Living submits a revised planning application after its initial one was turned down. The new application reduces the number of flats to 128, and the building is reduced by one storey.
2024 - EBC approves Untold Living's new application.
2024 - A planning application was submitted to EBC to convert Martello Towers 64 and 66 into holiday accommodation.
2024 - New owners re-open Quay Fisheries on Fishermans Quay.
After twenty years, in 2009, the main construction phase of the residential element of the Sovereign Harbour development ended. However, the social infrastructure necessary to turn this enormous housing area into a sustainable community had largely been ignored, and the construction of the community centre did not start until 2017.
Development of the promised business park, which should have been the 'work' element of the 'work-life' environment that formed part of the original concept, has also been slow, with the first offices not opening until 2015.
Since 2016 further residential development has begun to take place on three of the remaining development sites.
Following the initial phases of construction, for a number of years, SHRA successfully fought to prevent further development on the five remaining sites for which outline planning consent for residential development had been granted. During the campaigns, these sites were referred to generically as “The Five Sites” (Sites 1-5 in the list on this page).
As a last-ditch effort before the carte blanche consent expired, developers Carillion submitted five planning applications for residential development on four of these sites. After a huge public demonstration of opposition, the Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) Planning Committee unanimously refused the plans. Following the refusal of these applications and pressure by SHRA, Carillion agreed not to pursue appeals against the refusal and offered to work with residents to seek an equitable solution.
Carillion then entered into discussions with SHRA and officers and cabinet members of the then-conservative-controlled EBC on creating a Master Plan for the final development of all the remaining harbour development land. These negotiations continued with the Liberal Democrat administration.
During the negotiations, other vacant sites not included in the now-expired outline planning consent for residential development were brought into the arena. For the first time, all eleven remaining development land sites were put in the melting pot.
Since then, three of the sites have been developed with housing, one with an office block and the community centre. Of the three housing sites, one has now been completed; one is due for completion in 2024, and the other has been partially completed.