Question:
Good morning, I recently started a thread on Nextdoor.com (titled ‘Not a very merry go roundabout’) regarding Ravenside Roundabout. One contributor suggested I contact you to find out what the latest is regarding the regeneration of this rather tatty eyesore which is after all, the doorway to Bexhill. I understand that in September 2020 members of Rother District Council voted through plans to improve the roundabout and wondered what progress has been made, even allowing for restrictions caused by the pandemic. The project is now known as the RGRIP I believe. I also understand that there was talk of a sculpture – this is a big roundabout and whereas at Battle a sculpture at the top of the high street looks great, any sculpture would have to be quite large to make an impression. (Though I do love sculpture and art works). Bexhill is a seaside town, and the South Cliff area looks great with its low maintenance drought resistant plants. I wondered whether something like that, with lots of shingle would look good and last well? I look forward to hearing from you. (01/07/2021)
Answer:
We appreciate that the Highways England (HE) roundabout at Ravenside is situated at an important gateway into Bexhill-on-Sea and that its unkempt appearance makes a poor first impression on visitors and has been a cause of resident dissatisfaction for many years. Unfortunately, appeals to HE to improve the appearance of the roundabout and increase the frequency of maintenance have been unsuccessful.
Recently officers, along with myself, met with HE to discuss the opportunity to enhance the appearance of the roundabout and put a sustainable management solution in place. Following on from this meeting officers, working in conjunction with HE and ESCC, were tasked with investigating options and costs for improvements to the roundabout, including a possible two-phase approach involving a phase 1 clearance followed by a phase 2 installation of a sculpture and hardstanding. Phase 1 has been completed and we are now in communication with HE regarding phase 2. However, this is proving problematic in resolving, due to the five junctions into the roundabout and the routes needing to be diverted for initial groundworks. (05/07/2021)