'Back to the drawing board' - redevelopment of Lewes Bus Station refused

All services are set to stop using the site in Eastgate Street next week and owners Generator Group want to knock down the buildings and construct 37 flats, three houses and commercial space on the ground floor.

However the development plans have been hugely unpopular in the town, with a strong campaign mounted to save the bus station.

The application was discussed by the South Downs National Park Authority’s planning committee today (Thursday September 8) where officers recommended refusal.

They raised concerns about the absence of affordable housing, lack of provision for relocation of bus facilities, ‘overbearing’ design and impact on the conservation area and nearby listed buildings, loss of daylight for a neighbouring East Street residential property and potential issues with suggested areas of tree planting.

Members of the planning committee backed these reasons and refused permission.

Richard Waring said: “We have to go back to the drawing board and get it right for the town of Lewes.”

Ian Phillips called the scheme in its current form ‘very much a work in progress’, adding: “It’s not in a sufficiently good state and sufficiently high quality to merit approval within a conservation area, particularly in such a key location. It deserves something exemplary.”

Officers explained that the bus station had been sold off in 2006 and with toilets and waiting facilities shuttered, it only hosted three remaining bus stops.

Generator Group has announced its intention to terminate the rolling licence effective next Friday (September 16).

SDNPA officers felt a contribution towards replacement facilities would be necessary.

Public speakers went further.

Town councillor Merlin Milner, speaking personally, called for the current bus station to be repaired and refurbished and its garages redeveloped for affordable housing. District councillor Adrian Ross wanted the Generator Group to withdraw the notice so the bus station could continue to operate and a replacement fully policy compliant bus station (not bus stops) provided. Meanwhile Peter Earl, from the Friends of Lewes, labelled the current scheme ‘unsympathetic’.

Speaking for the applicant, Paul Burgess, from Lewis & Co Planning, pointed out they had amended the scheme four times in the pre-application process. He called the results a ‘bespoke development of high architecture’, but said they would welcome the opportunity to collaborate further with officers.