East Sussex residents continue to criticise plans for alternative town bus station

The Generator Group, the owners of the former bus station site on Eastgate Street, have submitted plans to demolish the former station and build 32 flats, three houses and 198m2 of commercial floorspace in its place.

As part of the South Downs National Park Authority Local Plan Policy, the developers were required to set out plans for the bus facilities to be replaced on an accessible site.

The Generator Group has outlined land north and south of The Phoenix Causeway as the most suitable location for three new bus stops, something which a number of locals and politicians don’t see as a viable suggestion.

Commenting on the National Park’s public consultation, one resident wrote: “Their suggested solution of bus stops on the Phoenix Causeway is not viable. For elderly residents, waiting at a bus stop on a pavement is no replacement for waiting under shelter at the bus station.

"I understand the Generator Group are offering between £19,096.84-£88,069.59 towards the construction of replacement bus stops on the Phoenix Causeway (estimated by ESCC to cost £685,000). Why should local residents have to bear the cost of a solution which is being caused by the Generator Group seeking to make money by knocking down the bus station to build flats and houses they can sell for a huge profit?”

Another added: Another added: “The existing bus station is in an essential location and serves its purpose perfectly. It has toilets, shelter, information and refreshment facilities. The Phoenix site proposal is not central enough. We should be refurbishing the bus station we have for environmental reasons, re-use rather than new build. A more central bus station encourages people to use public transport and use cars less.”

The East Sussex County Council estimate the constructing of the building of these bus stops, including real time information boards and sheltered seating, will be £685,000, with the Generator Group planning to offer up to £88,000 in contribution.

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These plans are the second set of proposals sent by the Generator Group for the bus station site. The first proposal was rejected by the National Park in September 2021 and offered a mixed-use development comprising 3 houses, 37 self-contained flats and 192m2 of ground floor commercial space.

The planning authorities rejected the proposals because they made no provision for the relocation of bus facilities or for affordable housing, something which is required in the authority’s Local Plan.

Green Party councillors in Lewes have said that planning permission should be refused again on these fresh proposals, claiming that none of the reasons had been addressed from the previous application.

Councillor Adrian Ross said: “There are still no plans for the required relocation of bus facilities. A few new bus stops do not meet the town’s need for ‘an operationally satisfactory and accessible site elsewhere’ offering ‘the same or better undercover waiting facilities’ as required by the Local and Neighbourhood Plans."