Buildings at former car dealership in Lewes could be demolished for new Lidl with 113 parking spaces
Buildings at the site of a former car dealership in Lewes could be demolished to make way for a new Lidl.
Lidl Great Britain has applied to South Downs National Park, via their agent CarneySweeney, to knock down existing buildings on land east of Brooks Road.
Lidl wants to redevelop the site to provide a Class E foodstore with ancillary parking, access and landscaping.
A design and access statement by Whittam Cox Architects said: “The proposal briefly comprises: a new high quality Lidl food store with a GEA (gross external area) of 2,283 sqm and a net sales area of 1,516 sqm; 113 car parking spaces (including six disabled spaces, nine parent and child and two electric vehicle spaces); an attractive hard and soft landscaping proposal.”
It said Lidl aims to: enhance the quality of convenience goods shopping in the area; provide a new Lidl food store with an efficient layout; provide a modern, energy efficient building; and deliver a store that will enhance the site with high quality landscaping.
The application said the land is bounded by Malling Street to the south, Brooks Road to the west and Davey’s Lane to the north. It includes a former Caffyns car dealership, The Doctor Clinic, the former Martin Kemp car dealership and Causeway House.
People can see the application at planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications using reference SDNP/25/01871/FUL.
The design and access statement said: “The store is strategically positioned to create an active frontage of Brooks Road. Located along the sites southern boundary, it is orientated so that the glazed elevation, including the main entrance, faces east, enhancing the sites appearance along one of the most active surrounding streets.
“The site layout includes ample parking to meet the store’s demand, along with covered cycle parking for 12 bicycles near the entrance. Pedestrian access is provided directly from Brooks Road.”
It said servicing for the food store would be accommodated via a dedicated service ramp access through the car park, which is designed to handle the maximum legal articulated HGV size (16.5m). The statement said the building’s size and appearance on the 9,418 square metre site would also be consistent with the existing street scene.
It’s concluding statement said: “The proposed scheme seeks to bring a new food store to Lewes, providing greater food store choice to local communities.
“This proposal will be constructed to a high quality with sensitivity to the local environment, employing contemporary and sustainable design and materials to create an attractive, high quality building which is appropriate to its surrounding built environment. The proposal utilises its locality to ensure good accessibility and promote sustainable transport methods.”