Decision due on Hastings games arcade plans for former Debenhams building

A change of use application is seeking to open an arcade within part of the first floor of the building in Robertson Street.

According to the application, which is due to be discussed by Hastings Borough Council’s planning committee on Wednesday (June 1), the arcade would include pinball machines as well as virtual reality and dance games, with customers using prepaid cards to access them.

The proposed arcade would only cover a small portion of the store, but architectural floor plans submitted as part of the application hint at what may be set to come for the rest of the building.

These floor plans show an indoor soft play area, cafe, children’s mini-golf area and a three-lane bowling alley. One area is labelled as a ‘donkey derby’, but the application does not give further details of what exactly this would be.

While not directly part of the planning application, these other potential uses for the building have seen concerns raised by a number of residents, mainly due to fears around noise disturbance.

According to planning officers, these uses would not require planning permission as they would fall under the existing use class of the building.

Even so, officers say sound insulation testing has been carried out, which has led to some works being proposed to limit any impact on neighbours. These works have been included as part of the conditions of the proposed approval.

For further information see application reference HS/FA/21/01060 on the Hastings Borough Council website.