East Sussex petition against housing development reaches 85,000 signatures as concerns continue to mount

Anna Silvestri started the appeal after reading that real estate developer Human Nature planned to cut down most of the trees on the Phoenix Industrial Estate and Causeway for its new 700-home mixed-use development.

Human Nature called the petition 'inaccurate and misleading' and claimed the vast majority of trees in the area were in a poor condition with shallow root systems. The company also said some of the trees were at risk of Ash Dieback disease, leading to a local tree expert recommending their removal.

However, Anna said these statements appeared to be in direct contradiction with the report Human Nature filed as part of their original planning application.

In said application, the tree health in the area was given a score of good, whilst acknowledging the habitat provided by the trees would be lost under the proposed development.

Anna also stated their has been no evidence produced by Human Nature that any of these trees were diseased or in danger of becoming so.

She told SussexWorld: “Good practice in terms of conservation and sustainability is to help maintain mature trees and the habitat they support, not to cut them down. Tree experts tell us that trees can be managed at any stage and phase of their lives.

"In addition, dying and dead ash trees have huge ecological value, especially mature, veteran and ancient trees, so provided that they are managed following current guidance on tree risk management, it’s important to keep them in the landscape."

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Jonathan Smales, founder & CEO of Human Nature, said the company had conducted new studies on the area, one of which highlighted the poor condition of the trees.

The developer has now restarted work with landscape architects, designers and local tree experts and enthusiasts to ensure it created a green connection to the town centre.

Jonathan said: “As we’ve set out before, this is an incredibly complex former industrial site, which is being underused at a time when young people are forced to leave Lewes as they have few places to work or live.

"Difficult decisions have had to be made to make this site work for the town, and this connection to the new neighbourhood, safe construction access, emission-free car services and the creation of a people-friendly edge is crucial to its success.

"This area will be repopulated by healthy and managed trees and new pedestrian routes in a way that softens a currently noisy, dirty, polluted edge.

"250 trees are due to be planted, many semi-mature. We are already preserving trees by the bridge and will look to retain as many existing healthy Causeway trees as we can, replant vigorously and look after them well.”

The public consultation for the Phoenix Industrial Estate was originally set to close on April 21, but has now been extended to May 26, after The Friends of Lewes and other local groups asked the South Downs National Park Authority for an extension given the size and complexity of the application.

To provide your views on the application to the planning committee click here