Restoration Work Begins at Historic Pelham Crescent

Work has begun on restoring Pelham Crescent, which makes up the roof of the arcade at St Mary in the Castle. 

Cllr Julia Hilton, deputy leader of Hastings Borough Council and lead councillor for Shaping Places, Regeneration and Community Wealth, met with Karin Jones, Contract Manager from Hailsham Roadworks Construction Ltd, on-site to discuss the project and see what has been started. 

The project will deliver essential repairs and improvements to protect the long-term future of Pelham Crescent. The approved works include replacing the waterproofing system above the historic sandstone vaults, improving drainage, reconstructing sections of the carriageway and footways, repairing historic features, and upgrading associated infrastructure.  

These works will help preserve the historic character of Pelham Crescent while improving its condition, future sustainability and safety for residents and visitors. 

Cllr Julia Hilton, deputy leader of the council and lead councillor for Shaping Places, Regeneration and Community Wealth, said:

I was delighted to see that work has begun on this project. With the road at Pelham Crescent forming the roof of the arcade and crypts at St Mary in the Castle, securing this and stopping further damage into the building below is the first step of wider works. We are committed to seeing a successful future for this iconic building and I’m excited to see how the works progress in the coming weeks and months.

Karin Jones, Contract Manager, said:

I'm thrilled that we've started this challenging project for Hastings Borough Council. Over the past few weeks we've had many discussions with the engineer and architect about how we can incorporate more recycled materials into the final scheme, and how we can deliver the work with minimal disruption to residents. It's great to finally be on site and start to uncover the history beneath the road, so that we can protect it for the future and create a great space for Hastings!

Photos show Cllr Julia Hilton, Karin Jones, Roger Bunney from Woodmans and Haydn Jones from Saville Jones Architects at Pelham Crescent