Decision is deferred on Lewes Phoenix application

October 13, 2023

Statement and update from the South Downs National Park Authority following today’s Planning Committee meeting in Lewes regarding application SDNP/23/00526/OUT:

People and communities are at the heart of the planning process and our role as Planning Authority in placemaking is always done with great responsibility, care and diligence.

Our officers have worked hard and very openly with the applicant – and the report itself is very open – to try to ensure Lewes gets the high-quality, sustainable, climate-friendly scheme it deserves.

This is a complex and emotive planning application that has attracted a huge response from the local community, with many comments and speeches at committee, both for and against the proposals.

Members at today’s Planning Committee voted to defer a decision on this application. This is because more information, as well as further considerations about design and other aspects, are needed from the applicant in order for the Planning Committee to make an informed decision on this hugely important and strategic site in Lewes.

The decision to defer is highly unusual, but we see the real potential of the scheme and want to give the applicant the opportunity to meet important technical requirements and provide some certainty to the community of what will actually be delivered.

The principle of the proposed scheme – a residential-led mixed use scheme, creating a new neighbourhood for Lewes, the overall ambitions of the applicant, and the general approach they are taking to create a ‘sustainable development’ – is really welcome.

However, it is in the execution of, and the detailed matters associated with, the actual scale and form of the proposed development that means we are currently unable to support the application.

The Planning Committee has deferred the decision in the hope that much-needed outstanding information can be provided and genuine concerns can be addressed. It has been decided that the application should come back to Planning Committee in four months for a further decision.

Since committee report was published, we are delighted that issues around sustainable construction and affordable housing have been addressed. However, there remain substantial issues that need to be addressed and can be summarised as follows:

Insufficient information around highway, parking, sustainable and public access. National Highways have stated they need more information to make a decision, which the Authority needs to move forward with the application.
Failure to address concerns around design, bulk and scale, and flood risk. We support ideas for the different types of streets, public spaces and ecological enhancements, however, there is not enough information about how these would work in practice given the scale and bulk of the buildings currently being proposed.
Inadequate information around air quality impacts.

We would like to positively engage with the applicant in order to address these issues for the benefit of Lewes and its communities.