25 July 2006: Assurance on Phoenix Area proposals

“We have an open mind and we will think carefully about what is in the best interests of the town”.

David Neighbour Lewes District Council’s new Lead Member for Planning has given that important assurance to Lewes people about the expected planning application for the Phoenix area.

“We are hearing strong views about the future needs of the town and its architectural heritage,” added Councillor Neighbour. “The questions we will all keep coming back to are: Is this the right kind of development for the town?  Will it help to reinforce those qualities which make Lewes such an attractive place to live, work, visit and shop?”

The expected planning application for the 6.5 hectare Phoenix area will be one of the most significant ever handled by the Council. The site is currently occupied by factories and warehousing.

The applicant, Angel Property, has suggested a development comprising 800 new homes; over 7,000 square metres of business floorspace; over 8,000 square metres of shopping, bars and restaurants, community facilities, flood defences, riverside walk, cinema, car parking, open space and a new pedestrian bridge over the Ouse. A parallel planning application at Malling Brooks would provide new premises for some business activities displaced from the site, together with a new fire station.

When the application is received, later in the summer or early autumn, the District Council will carry out wide consultation with local people and interested organisations.

“That will be a public and transparent process and nothing will be taken for granted. It is our responsibility as local councillors, not the developers, to gauge the public’s response to these proposals.” said Cllr Neighbour “We intend to offer an extended consultation period of around two months, so that everyone has a chance to comment.”

Cllr David Neighbour became the Lead Member for Planning on 22 July following a smooth transition and handover from Cllr Neil Commin to ensure continuity of approach.

Notes to editors:

The main starting point for consideration of planning applications is the Lewes District Local Plan, which was adopted in 2003 after two Public Inquiries. The Council also has to consider Government planning guidance, the East Sussex County Structure Plan and the new South East Plan.

The key planning policy issues which the Council will need to assess include:

Existing planning policies seek to protect employment land, which is in short supply in this part of Sussex. This helps promote local business and jobs, reduces long distance commuting and provides a more balanced community. The applicants will need to make a case for an exception to these policies and show how their proposals will help Lewes have a more prosperous economic future.

Housing provision needs to be focused on meeting local needs, particularly provision of affordable housing. Recent studies show a growing “affordability gap” in the area and the SE Plan is encouraging councils to seek higher levels of affordable housing.

Planning policies seek to maintain the viability and vitality of existing town centres. The Phoenix proposals include significant new shopping floorspace and the impact of this on the town centre will need to be carefully considered to ensure that it complements and strengthens Lewes as a shopping destination overall and does not harm the existing centre. Much of Lewes’ success as a shopping centre comes from its independent traders in attractive historic buildings.

The application site adjoins the extensive Lewes Conservation Area and the Council will be keen to ensure that any new development respects the scale, height, bulk and appearance of the town’s built environment and its “downland bowl” setting, all of which are protected by existing planning policies.  Lengthy discussions have been held on these issues with English Heritage and the developers, but some important concerns still remain.

Planning policies are moving towards more sustainable building design with energy efficiency, on site energy generation, waste reduction, water saving and other features. The Council will be looking to any new development to embody these features.

New flood defences will need to be provided in the scheme and the developers have been working up proposals in discussion with the Environment Agency. The Council’s policies will require not only adequate flood defences, but also an acceptable visual impact, particularly in sensitive locations like The Pells, part of the Conservation Area. Provision of new flood defences at the developer’s cost would not in itself lead the Council to set aside important planning policy objectives.

The impact of such large proposals on the social and economic infrastructure of the town will be given careful consideration by the Council. A development of 800 houses could mean adding around 1500 people to the town’s population, a growth of around 10%. This would affect everything from sports facilities to doctors and dentists to schools. The Council will want a clear assessment of impact on the town’s existing facilities.

Traffic and parking will be very important. The developer’s proposals could add to the existing stock of public parking and take some pressure off the existing car parks in Lewes. The new access into the site could also relieve some of the traffic currently churning around the town’s one way system. However, such a large development will inevitably be a large generator of traffic, with far reaching effects on the town’s road network. The Council will be working closely with ESCC on these issues.

Lastly, more information is needed on how the development will be delivered, if it is granted outline planning permission. The developer does not own all the land covered by his proposals and has indicated that he would want to work with a number of different partners to build the various elements of the scheme. Any planning application would need to explain how development will be delivered in a satisfactory way.

From LDC website, July 2006