marco crivello
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Re:relocation Lewes car valeting - 2006/04/17 19:35
Lewes Matters naturally welcomes Angel's commitment to now include some car related businesses in a relocation package to the proposed Malling Brook site.Thus far we have resisted influencing this forum with any 'editorial' interference, however we feel strongly that aspects of the developer's announcement could usefully be clarified.
We hope the following will place the developers's posting in context.
1/ In a meeting with Charles Style at the end of March,it was clearly stated that inclusion of car related businesses on the Malling Brook site was not part of his plans. We pointed out that these businesses were highly valued by the community not least because of their proximity to the town centre where vehicles could easily be left and collected. All three traders mentioned in the posting cited this as a key factor in their viability and the consequences of relocation outside the town in tandem with much higher rents and rates would undermine that viability.
2/Lewes Matters have been listening to a number of independent traders since before Christmas-including tenants not in car related activities, who still remain uncertain as to their position regarding alternative premises given the critical shortage of affordable commercial space in Lewes ,should this scheme be approved.We were approached at the beginning of April by the businesses who posted comments on our discussion forum.Following a meeting with them we decided to forward their concerns to Kevin Scott, the vice chair of the Chamber.We were glad to hear that Kevin brought up their concerns with the developer at a meeting in Shellys on Wednesday, which appears to have resulted in a change of policy regarding some of the small independent traders.
3/ "I have tried to contact Angel on many occasions but I never receive a return call" Phil Butterfill Lewes Car Valeting.
Whilst we welcome the opening of dialogue with these three businesses,it seems somewhat disingenuous to claim that past failure to contact them is due to hectic preparations for outline planning permission.As landlords to two of these traders since 2004, Angel Property would have been fully aware of the nature of these businesses while forming a strategy for the proposed Malling Brooks site, as well as conducting a viability study for the entire Phoenix industrial estate.In the meantime the developer has been readily available to meet with numerous parties to discuss all aspects of his proposals.It is also fair to point out that for some businesses on the Phoenix estate negotiations on relocation are already at an advanced stage.
Lewes Matters appreciate that aspects of relocation may be commercially sensitive, but the townspeople need to be offered a clear and consistent framework regarding relocating existing companies,so that they can assess this component as a part of the whole proposal.
4 Aside from these developments we continue to collect information on the businesses via a specifcally commissioned business questionnaire as well as our broader questionnaire which slowly but surely we are delivering to as many households as possible.The respones we are getting back are proving very valuable in giving a mor accurate reading of the towns views and concerns,so if you have not yet filled one in....it only takes a couple of minutes!
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