Queensway Gateway, Hastings

The Queensway Gateway is a new road designed to connect Queensway (the A2690) with Sedlescombe Road North (the A21) in northern Hastings/St Leonards. It is intended to improve local traffic flows and, by providing access to business development sites, support long-term local job creation.

In 2014, we designed the road (original landscape masterplan pictured), consulted local people and applied to Hasting Borough Council for planning permission. We gained planning consent in January 2016, with final discharge of pre-commencement planning conditions in November 2016. East Sussex County Council then contracted us to begin development of the scheme.

In January 2017, we began construction of the first major engineering phase of the road, under a grant agreement with East Sussex County Council.

By March 2019, we had completed all major engineering works for the construction of the new road, opening it from the west to provide access to businesses part way along its route (at the western end of Whitworth Road).

In the summer of 2019, we started discussions with the County Council for a new design to connect the Queensway Gateway to the A21 at Junction Road, avoiding an existing business.

In October 2020, we received permission from the County Council to progress part of the remaining works. On that basis, by the start of 2021, we had connected the new road to Whitworth Road, so linking Queensway to the existing roads joining the A21 – although with a barrier required by the County Council at the eastern end to prevent traffic flowing through to the A21 because of safety concerns.

Our contract did not include the final piece of work required fully to open the road: making safety and infrastructure improvements at the eastern end of Whitworth Road, plus installing traffic lights where Junction Road joins the A21, which the County Council requires for the barrier to be removed. This would open the road from both ends and allow drivers to use it for through journeys, so reducing congestion on The Ridge.

We have designed a modified connection with the A21 (illustrated in the sketch shown) and have been in discussions with East Sussex County Council since 2019 about delivering the final stage of works. These works should only take around 10 weeks, based on our design, the road safety audit and other approvals in place.

In December 2023, we provided the County Council with an updated proposal, intended as the basis for a final-phase contract to cover these remaining works.

East Sussex County Council, having in March 2024 secured £2.5 million from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) to finalise the Queensway Gateway, has now informed us that it will complete the scheme using its own highways contractor.

Given this, we have asked our contractors to remove their equipment and materials from the site to allow the County Council a clear space to finalise the project. We’ve also offered to license to the Council the designs we’ve created for modifications to the junction with the A21, to save it from redesigning this from scratch, which would be costly and cause further delays.

We’re looking forward to seeing the road fully open as soon as possible for the benefit of local road users and the wider community.