A major milestone for the De La Warr Pavilion.

Rother District Council has unanimously granted planning permission and listed building consent for the De La Warr Pavilion Masterplan, launching this major capital project to transform heritage for community, creativity & skills.

The De La Warr Pavilion, one of the UK’s most celebrated modernist icons, has today received resolution from the Council’s planning committee for planning and listed building consent to be granted for a landmark capital project that will both preserve its iconic heritage and transform it for future generations. The formal decision notices are now awaited.

This milestone follows months of consultation and detailed planning, with the project designed to protect the Pavilion’s Grade I listed status while also unlocking new opportunities for culture, learning, and community use.

The Pavilion, which marks its 90th birthday in December 2025 now looks ahead to its centenary in 2035. The ‘People’s Pavilion’ was founded on radical modernist ideals of creativity, community and social progress and this new capital project will ensure that those founding principles remain at the heart of the building’s future.

Sir Anthony Gormley OBE, internationally renowned sculptor and honorary patron:
“The De La Warr Pavilion is unique. The reborn Pavilion will enable a wider experience of art in all its forms for the residents of Bexhill and many from further afield. Here is a place where art and life come together for mutual inspiration – bravo!”

The capital project is being delivered in partnership with Rother District Council. Designed in phases, by award winning architect Haworth Tomkpins, the scheme ensures the Pavilion can remain partially open throughout the conservation works. The applications were co-ordinated by planning consultants, Lichfields and propose more than a restoration project: it is about people and communities, memory and creativity, welcome and belonging. It is about expanding access, education, and opportunity in an area where they are limited, while safeguarding the Pavilion’s cultural, social, and architectural heritage for future generations.

Haworth Tompkins Director Lucy Picardo said:
“The approval of the planning and listed building consent applications marks an important step forward in the journey to secure the De La Warr Pavilion’s long-term future. We look forward to continuing our close work with Rother District Council, DLWP, and the wider community as the project progresses.”

The capital works will focus on:

• Heritage conservation – safeguarding the Pavilion’s Grade I-listed architecture, enhancing accessibility, improving the visitor experience, and growing and sharing its archive and unique social history.
• Community engagement – expanding opportunities for local residents to be part of the story through co-created programmes, creative activities, volunteering, and archiving/storytelling projects that celebrate the Pavilion’s role in local life.
• Cultural leadership – reinforcing the Pavilion’s role as a leading multi-arts and cultural centre for the South East, delivering transformative creative, participatory, and social experiences that strengthen wellbeing, creativity, and community cohesion.
• Sustainability – improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and supporting Bexhill and Rother District Council’s Net Zero targets, through renewable energy and low-carbon heating improvements.
• Driving regional growth – the Pavilion contributes significantly to the local economy, supporting jobs, tourism and skills development across Sussex, and the project will further strengthen its role in driving growth and opportunity across the Southeast.

Doug Oliver, Leader of Rother District Council:
“The De La Warr Pavilion is a cornerstone of our cultural and civic identity. This ambitious project protects a nationally important modernist icon while creating new opportunities for our residents, transforming valued heritage into a place for skills, jobs, creativity, and wellbeing. Rother District Council is proud to stand alongside our partners in ensuring the Pavilion not only honours its remarkable heritage, but also drives progress, sustainability, and prosperity for future generations.”

The masterplan project has secured £17m from the UK Government as part of a partnership with Heart of Sidley to conserve the Pavilion and create a new community hub in Sidley delivering impactful cultural-led regeneration for Bexhill. Other funders have pledged support including Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund (development grant), East Sussex County Council, The Chalk Cliff Trust, Foyle Foundation and life-long supporter Suzy Eddie Izzard but there is still a significant fundraising target to complete the full scheme.

Stewart Drew, CEO and Artistic Director of the De La Warr Pavilion:
“The Pavilion has always been more than a building. It was created as a bold symbol of progress, a space where architecture, art and community come together. This project is about protecting that vision, while transforming the Pavilion to meet the challenges of the future – from sustainability to social impact. Our aim is to secure the Pavilion’s place as an iconic cultural hub for the South East for the next 100 years.”

Find out more about our capital project.

To be part of our story and support our plans please speak to Jessica Cheetham on 01424 229 102 or jessica.cheetham@dlwp.com.

Posted by Cassandra Ash on Thursday 9 October 2025