| August 2008 Update |
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Barrett Homes appeal against the rejection of their proposed development of the Wenban-Smith site at Eastgate Wharf has been dismissed! The Inspector has agreed with our District council – and with other objectors including RAID, Lewes Flood Action and the Friends of Lewes - that: “the proposal would not preserve the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. Its bulky, isolated and unified appearance, and its failure to relate to the existing urban grain, would be evident …” The Inspector, in his summary went on to say: “A key principle of PPS1: ‘Delivering Sustainable Development’, advises that design which fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area should not be accepted. Despite the benefits of the scheme, and agreement amongst the parties that the present buildings are without merit, its failure to significantly improve the public realm at ground level is a serious omission. August Update So much happens so quickly on the development front in Lewes that we really need three updates per month rather than three-monthly updates. Apologies for this. As regular visitors to this site will know, Lewes Matters started out as a single issue group concerned over the threat of massive inappropriate development of the Phoenix Industrial Estate. Our remit at that time was to act as a two-way communications device.
More recently many of those concerned have naturally turned their attention to other development threats in the town. Perhaps because, as yet, no planning application for the Phoenix Estate has been filed. But also because of the considerable number of additional proposed developments that threaten to engulf our home town. So it is natural that Lewes Matters should extend its remit to give people a vital opportunity to learn about and comment upon these additional threats while not forgetting Phoenix. Let’s begin with a Phoenix update. Phoenix: In effect, industry will be moved from a brown to a greenfield site to allow houses to be built on brown land. A bit sneaky, thinks Lewes Matters. A planning application was made in March and deferred after objection on flood risk grounds from the Environment Agency. We understand that a flood risk assessment has been commissioned by Angel Property and that a revised application will be considered by LDC following further delay. We must be grateful that this will be considered by the Planning Committee rather than decided by officers under delegated powers as was the case with the Clay Hill housing development nearby. Turning to Phoenix itself, Charles Style has stated that he will seek outline planning permission for a mixed use development to include 650 homes. Phase 1 will comprise that part of the estate already owned by Angel Property – land on the east side of North St, which, of course, includes the riverbank –. It is a matter of record that LDC will not sell any land they own on the west side of the road (some in ownership of LTC) until the Local Development Framework is in place, which will take over the role of local plan and would inform such developments. It is, we suggest, unfortunate, that the LDF will not be complete until late 2010 (Cllr Gardiner, Lead Planning, LDC, July 2008). We understand that Charles may soon be ready to share his revised plans with others and we are asking him to consider putting these on line – either here or on another site with a link from LM. The Coalition: We are delighted to announce the recent formation of an informal group of members of all the other groups with an interest in Lewes and its future development. This group called appropriately “the Lewes Coalition” plans to meet once a month upstairs at the Lewes Arms to share information and to ensure that as little unnecessary duplication of effort and ability occurs. If you are part of a group that is not represented on the Coalition and you would like to come to a meeting, please either email: or call 01273 476151. Flood Petition: Size, scale, density, inadequate infrastructure, unsuitability for a conservation area, ugliness, even a missed opportunity for architectural distinctiveness – these may all have a place. But few would argue against putting top of the list “building on land that has been demonstrated to be at risk from flooding”.
The petition raised over 1100 signatures – nearly 20% of the entire adult population of Lewes – and was presented to the Council at their July meeting by Dr Tom Crossett, no stranger to this website. Here is a link to his delivery speech. Lewes Matters recognises that the Council feels that its hands are in effect tied and that it is constrained to follow the directions of PPS 25 until such time as the LDF is in place. Still two years away as noted earlier. This means that all of those who wish to campaign to protect our home town from inappropriate development must transfer at least some of our energies away from our local elected representatives and their officers and toward national government and their agencies. Especially the Environment Agency, who seem unaware, blissfully or not, that they are using out-of-date climate change data and projected sea-level heights to base their analyses of flood predictability. The Pitt Report: His full report, now published, contains 92 proposals he says must be implemented if communities are to be better protected. The key recommendations are:
If you’d like to read the abstract and exec. summary of this crucial – to Lewes – report, follow this link Pitt Report - Key points or Glenda Slagg: 500 marched with Glenda back in June to tell our Planners that the people of Lewes have had more than enough. Another march with banners and jazzmen is planned for 13 Sept. This time we’d like to have twice as many people with us. We’ll keep you posted. While we’re talking Glenda, we must mention Dave Burke’s brilliant idea of bringing committed Lewesians together for an evening where the deadly serious business of fighting inappropriate development was tempered with good sounds and the odd beverage. Hosted by Dave upstairs in the Royal Oak on Sunday eve, July 20th, everyone who came agreed that this is one form of protest that could be addictive. More important perhaps, it gave a chance to share opinions in a slightly more intimate environment. Lewes Matters looks forward to more of the same. Follow this link to see the original Wenban-Smith: Nestling between the car park behind Waitrose and Phoenix Causeway, this site holds the key to riverside development along the entire west bank of the Ouse from Cliffe High St to the northern outskirt of the town. Including, of course, the Phoenix Industrial Estate. Grounds for rejection were a) unacceptable flood risk and b) Inadequate design (our words). Barrett duly appealed the rejection and the inevitable enquiry was held last month. It is perhaps a shame that LDC had so few allies at the enquiry, with representatives from RAID, Lewes Flood Action and the Friends of Lewes alone backing the Council’s view. However it may be appropriate to remind our planners that when they would wish to seek support from the townspeople, they come out and ask for it. Even though many supporters hold down full-time jobs, a significant proportion of them, along with the aged and infirm, would be more than happy to come to the plate so long as they are consulted. We now await the inspector’s decision. Given the long-held presumption to find in favour of housing development in the South East, no matter how inappropriate the design, don’t hold your breath…. How wrong we were! Hours before we close, we learn that for once our fears were groundless and that our Council has prevailed in stopping a massive, inappropriate ugly building from disgracing the town-centre and competing with the attractive listed façade of our fabulous brewery just across the river. Keeping Lewes in the Park: All is not yet lost. Because the final decision will be a political one and there is still both time and reason to appeal to the two Government Ministers, Hilary Benn MP and Jonathan Shaw MP, who are scheduled to make the final decision early in the new year. Your letter to these gentlemen could make the crucial difference between the safety and comfort of Lewes as part of the National Park and continued exposure to the whims of developers outside. Here is a link to the KLIP Campaign’s latest publicity. Use it to find out who to write to and – if you would like to learn more – what to say that would have most effect. Harvey’s Depot, Pinwell Road: Rees Elliott, new owners of the site, have decided to withhold their planning application for a re-think following initial consultation. Fantastic! It must be said that, while nobody had much time for the size, the scale, the height of the development as well as its lack of local distinctiveness, it was planned to embrace many sustainable technologies. We await further developments with interest… Lewes House Site and the Twittens: Final straw for those keen to curb this development was the Institute of Archaeology’s judgement that the “Ice House” built into Church Twitten wall isn’t an ice house after all, and therefore of no significant archaeological merit. Hey ho… LDC Liaison Meeting They will debrief on line in due course. Friends of Lewes: “To stimulate public interest in the beauty, history and character of the town of Lewes and its surrounding area; and to organise concerted action for protecting and enhancing the townscape and for preserving free access to the surrounding area.” The article went on to explain the need for skilled professional input as well as campaigning zeal in the “Battle for Lewes”. Lewes Matters welcomes this restatement of principle and looks forward to working with the Civic Society toward achieving the aims that are so close to all our hearts. Lewes Community Land Trust:
It sounds almost too good to be true. But LCLT - Lewes Community Land Trust is happening. And it needs the support of everyone who lives in and cares about Lewes. Here’s a link to LCLT’s latest message. Lewes Conservation Area Advisory Committee: Quite so. But our Lead Planning Councillor, Peter Gardiner, has proposed that Lewes should have a CAAC of its own. Visitors to this site with long memories will recall a short, but lively discussion thread that debated exactly this point and that welcomed the adoption of a CAAC for Lewes along the lines of the Chichester model. A Conservation Area Advisory Committee, with its unique blend of relevant professional experts and committed local residents, would provide advice for the planners that they might find invaluable. Just as the planners do in Chichester and several other towns in England with a similar built heritage. So bring it on, Cllr Gardiner. Lewes Matters will back you to the hilt. They say summertime is s quiet time for planners and developers. They also say be warned. This is the time to slide controversial applications under the planning office door while everyone has their mind on other things. Have a good holiday… |
“Not another bloody committee”, we can hear the District Planning Officers cry. But don’t panic, Mr Frost. This one can only help everyone.
One of the first tasks carried out by the Coalition has been to collect signatures for a petition calling upon the District Council to halt giving permission for development in the Lewes flood plain in view of the recommendations of the Pitt Report. A review of this report, its implications for Lewes and a link to the report itself can be found below.
080723 LD Council mtg Gardiner reply to Rita Ellis and TC statement
25_06_08_floods_summary.pdf
For anyone who didn’t know, Glenda Slagg is the soubriquet for that deliciously curvy blond employed by Jenny Mumford in her cartoons proclaiming “Overdevelopment – aren’tcha sick of it!”.