Bright sparks

THE night scene at three landmark Bexhill structures and a conservation area street has been transformed as a result of a two-year Euro-funded Anglo-French project.

Guests attending last Thursday evening's switch-on ceremony at Bexhill Museum were able to see how low-energy bulbs installed in uplighters along the museum frontage, beneath the newly-refurbished Clock Tower and beneath the Colonnade have transformed them.

The Edwardian charm of Sackville Road has been enhanced by the replacement of out-of-keeping modern light fittings with period-style columns.

The Clock Tower's century-old clock mechanism has been given its first major refurbishment in 100 years. The four clock faces have been rebuilt and given weather-proof covers.

Colonnade detailing includes 24 LED lights inside each cupola which can be programmed to give a number of effects including subtle and attractive progressions through blue, mauve and green through to red.

As an example of the use of low-energy uplighters, those at the Museum cost only 18p to run for four hours.

As Rother leader Cllr Graham Gubby told the assembly, for Rother officers and members, completion of the scheme marked the culmination of two years of European work with French partners in the Coastal Treasures project.

"The collaboration between Hastings Borough Council, Seaspace and Rother District Council with our French partners on the Channel coast, has been one of the most successful projects in the current programme and has delivered some excellent results."

He said Coastal Architectural Audits for the English and French towns involved in the project could now be viewed on the http://www.coastaltreasures.eu/ website which was another product of the scheme.

"The architectural database provides a missing link in the historical development of the relevant seaside towns and is a useful tool to assist councillors, planners and the tourism industry in developing and promoting the Channel coasts."

The provided information on the architectural heritage, lighting trails and Anglo-French photographic competition which formed part of the project.

"The final promotional element will be a film relating to coastal architecture which is being completed by SMACOP (Somme) this summer and should be available by August for downloading into the website or on DVD.

"The project has also involved presentations at conferences, both in England and France - the SEEDA Design Champions Conference at the De La Warr Pavilion in May 2006; the English Influences on the Channel Coasts Urbanism, Architecture and Anglomania Conferences in June 2006 at Mers les Bains; the East England Development Agency conference A Focus On Coastal Regeneration in March 2007 at Walton on the Naze, Essex and we have been invited to give a presentation on the project at the Seaside Heritage Understanding The Past Shaping The Future conference organised by English Heritage on October 16-17 at Hastings.

"A very successful part of the project has been the international photographic competition as organised by the town of Hardelot."