Demolition plans to make way for temporary car park

Construction of this first phase of the scheme will see the closure of council car parks at Brook Street and Spring Gardens, along with the privately-run car park at Corporation Wharf.

The council has recently been given the go-ahead by the South Downs National Park Planning Authority to carry out early demolition of buildings that it owns in North Street.

While the area is not scheduled to be developed until much later in the scheme, the extremely poor condition of several of these vacant buildings made it preferable to seek permission to take them down now.

Cllr Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes District Council, said: “Planning permission will still need to be secured, but the early demolition of these buildings could provide an opportunity to create a temporary car park.

“We will lose 220 spaces when the three car parks are closed, but the new temporary car park will provide 260 spaces. Most importantly, the temporary car park will open before any of the car park closures.”

A new public car park boasting 330 underground spaces will be built as part of the North Street Quarter project and will be operational at the end of Phase 1 of the development.

Cllr Smith added: “When complete, the redevelopment of the North Street Quarter will be regarded as one of the most important regeneration projects in living memory.

“I look forward to receiving this report at Cabinet and thank the team of experts who are turning our ambitions for Lewes into a very exciting reality.”

Permission has been granted for the demolition of Nos 20 to 25 in North Street says the report to Lewes District Council’s Cabinet, which will meet on Monday, July 2.