A study of the transition from summer settlement to suburb in Eastbourne

Abstract

Many seaside summer communities have, or are currently undergoing, a transition process which is transforming them into a suburb. This can be observed in a number of ways, such as the amenities and facilities of one community, changing to support the other. The differentiation between the requirements of the two distinct communities should be such that the change can be observed. There must exist some proof, in the morphology and built environment of the community, which will allow us to identify and record this process taking place. This hypothesis can be tested by an examination of the settlement at different points in time, and a comparison made between each. This report examines one such community, Eastbourne, and documents this process as it occurs. By examining the events and factors which caused the change, and using documentation and observations of Eastbourne while this process was occurring, the hypothesis can be tested. An analysis of the historical events and changes in physical form of Eastbourne was carried out. This was undertaken to understand the nature of the suburb, and to determine if there were any characteristics that marked the change from summer community, to suburb. The historical analysis found the length of time the settlement was actually weekend and summer house area, was particularly short. This probably did not allow enough time for the suspected characteristics of a temporary settlement to become apparent. The study did, however, identify many interesting changes to the suburb over the last 100 years. The choice of example for this project, despite initial indications, was not particularly good.