This is why a man is scaling heights of St Leonards high-rise building

People spotted him appearing to be abseiling outside Ocean House in London Road.

However, on closer inspection it has been revealed that the worker is currently fitting earthing strips on the side of the building.

Earthing is used on high-rise buildings to protect them from lightning strikes. It helps dissipate electrical faults and prevents the risk of electric shocks to residents.

High-rise buildings usually house a large amount of electrical installation and electronic equipment so proper earthing is used to ensure the protection of devices and avoid short circuits.

Developers recently submitted plans to turn the top floor of Ocean House into apartments.

The application is the latest out of several that have been submitted for the building in recent years.

Almost three years ago, developers submitted plans to turn Ocean House, at 87-89 London Road, from offices into residential flats.

The application was to convert 11 floors into 72 flats, which would be made up of 31 one-bedroom flats and 41 two-bedroom apartments.

In the application by Wynbay Limited, office space would be retained on the ground and first floors.

Council planners gave the scheme the go-ahead in May 2021.

Then in July that year the same developers submitted a separate application to convert Ocean House into 83 flats, of which 38 would be one-bedroom ones and the remaining 45, two-bedroom.

In September 2021, Hastings Borough Council gave the green light for the development to go ahead.

Then at the end of January last year, developers from Wynbay Limited submitted an application for external alterations to Ocean House, which included replacement of windows on the ground and 12th floors, refurbishment of other windows where needed, creation of new window openings and the removal of the secondary ground-floor entrance.

The application, which was given planning permission by the borough council in March 2023, also included the replacement of gates attached to the building and the refurbishment of the existing security grilles and balustrades.

In the latest application, developers have applied for planning permission to turn the 12th floor of Ocean House into two flats, one of which would be a one-bedroom flat, and the other a two bedroom one.