The Kingsway to the Sea project was established to regenerate the underused and run-down facilities and green spaces on the seafront in West Hove by creating a new park stretching from Hove Lagoon to the King Alfred Leisure Centre.
Following a public online vote in February 2024, the park is now called Hove Beach Park.
The project has been predominantly funded by UK Government.
As well as improving the area for the community, it will:
These are all relevant to the needs and aspirations of residents living and working in a densely populated part of the city.
The Planning Committee granted planning permission in December 2022.
In November 2023 it was announced that the project will benefit from £1.27m of additional funding.
The new Hove Beach Park will have activity and relaxation spaces, with opportunities for both sport and leisure, including new gardens as oasis areas.
A route has been created through the park, featuring pathways and ramps to enhance accessibility for all.
The park has been designed with a target to deliver a 20% Biodiversity Net Gain compared to the former site.
A new outdoor sports hub next to the bowling greens includes new public toilets, changing rooms and a café. It is now the new home for Hove & Kingsway Bowls Club. The new clubhouse now leads directly out onto the bowling greens which make it easier for players and spectators to view and connect with the greens.
We have refurbished the public toilets at Hove Lagoon, and the green space has been improved to create a family area.
The tennis, bowls and croquet facilities have been retained or upgraded and padel courts added. The wheeled sports areas, including a skateboard plaza, a pump track for biking, and a rollerblading and skating area, opened in September 2024.
The designs for the new park included significant accessibility improvements for people with mobility issues. We have added inclined ramps and new stairs throughout the park, offering a choice of routes for everyone.
The new public toilets in the Outdoor Sports Hub include accessible toilets and additional accessible toilet facilities have also been provided at Hove Lagoon and the Tennis Pavilion.
The landscape has been designed to increase the biodiversity of the site to support climate change mitigation and achieve the target of 20% biodiversity net gain across the whole area.
The planting was chosen to relate to the challenging coastal environment. It included developing the tree, shrub and field layers with resilient planting to create more shelter, extend the season for nectar sources and improve foraging for wildlife.
Responding to the coastal shingle habitat species, rich grassed areas and flower-rich perennial gardens will create improved green spaces with a more varied landscape. These areas will create significant new foraging, nesting, shelter and habitat areas, encouraging biodiversity.
The designs also included a substantial number of new native trees such as Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Sea Buckthorn, Holly and Purple Willow, as well as resilient species like Austrian pine.
View the latest drone video footage of how work has progressed.