Friends of Lewes Planning Committee Report 6 June 2023

Representations made on planning applications following the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 6 June 2023:

SDNP/23/00925/FUL: Rowans Court, Prince Edwards Road: Erection of additional storey to create 4 self contained flats.
The Friends of Lewes have noted the various objections to this proposal and would recommend that the footprint of the proposed flats be reduced and the new structure set back from the Offham Road frontage in order to reduce its adverse visual impact. In this context the Society appreciates that the size of each of the proposed flats may have to be reduced from 2 bedroom to 1 bedroom units.

SDNP/23/01419/ADV: 35 Lansdown Place: Retrospective installation of digital signage to automatically switch on at 8am and off at 8pm.
The Friends of Lewes object to this proposal for the retention of a television monitor in the shopfront of a building within the Conservation Area, as it would set a precedent for similar installations within the Conservation Area. Furthermore, the Society would recommend that there is a need to review the relevant planning policy for shopfronts within the Conservation Area in order to address this concern.

SDNP/23/01706/ADV: Southover House, Southover Road: Installation of 3 adverts, consisting of bespoke Charleston Sign fixed onto the masonry of the central first and second floor windows, and two fabric banners located on either side.
The Friends of Lewes object to the installation of this large sign on the front of Southover House, as the Society considers it to be both clumsy and illegible and totally inappropriate within the Conservation Area, particularly as it can only be viewed at a close proximity and not from a more distant vantage point. The Society would like to suggest that more discrete signage within the ground floor glazed areas on either side of the entrance would be more appropriate.

SDNP/23/01943/HOUS: 67, North Way: S73 retrospective application for erection of front porch, hip to gable roof extension with rear dormer and side gable, and addition of hard standing to the front.
The Friends of Lewes note that further amendments have been made to the original proposal but sustains its previous objection to the retention of the gable and recommend that it be removed and the original hip roof reinstated. Indeed, the removal of the original hip and erection of the gable end and the resulting impact on the character and appearance of this semi-detached house and within the wider context was a significant reason for the Planning Inspector to dismiss the appeal of SDNP/21/02960/HOUS on the 09^th December 2022. In the opinion of the Society, the retention of the gable would set a precedent within the locality, which should not be encouraged. The Society also considers that the drainage arrangements on the extensive hardstanding to the front of the house to be totally inadequate on such a steeply sloping site and are very likely to contribute to surface water flooding in the locality. In addition, the Society are disappointed to see the minimal ecosystems provision proposed to offset the environmental impact.

SDNP/23/01963/HOUS: 5 St Nicholas Lane: Replacement front and rear windows to match existing fenestration.
The Friends of Lewes object to this proposal as the materials in the replacement windows has not been confirmed. The Society notes that the ‘Design and Access Statement’ refers to an earlier application SDNP/20/04128/HOUS for the “replacement of 4 single glazed timber framed windows with double glazed timber windows”, which was approved. However, the “Detail Drawing” included in this application illustrates what appears to be an UVPC window, which would not be acceptable within the Conservation Area.

SDNP/23/02048/FUL: County Stables, the Motor Road Old Racecourse: Change of use of existing County Stables building from Sui Generis (commercial equestrian purposes) to a mixture of F1(e) exhibition space, E(b) ancillary café and C1 bunkhouse.
The Friends of Lewes object to this proposed change of use as the Society is concerned that it will have an adverse impact on the tranquillity of the setting of the Old Racecourse.

SDNP/23/02056/HOUS: 18 Fitzjohns Road: Erection of single storey front and rear extensions, garage conversion and roof conversion.
The Friends of Lewes sustain their objection to the large box dormer to the rear of the property as it does not accord with the Current Design Guidance on dormers. The Society also objects to the removal of the existing hip roof and the introduction of a gable end, as this property is semi-detached and the introduction of a gable end would set a precedent locally, which has a large number of hipped roofs.

SDNP/23/ 02118/LIS: War Memorial, High Street: To cleaning of the memorial and restore the eroded lettering on the plaques. Remove verdi gris using a tensid restoration poultice. Conduct Doff / Torik clean to all stone elevations removing organic and friable deposits. Remove carbon deposits from bronze elements using Doff cleaning and soft brushes, ensuring the patina is maintained. Restore the 2 commemorative plaques, recutting and repainting the lettering as required.
The Friends of Lewes fully support this important restoration of this prominent townscape feature at the top of School Hill.

SDNP/23/02210/ADV: 205 High Street: Installation of two new lights and low backlight on the fascia sign on shop front.
The Friends of Lewes object to the proposed backlighting and would strongly recommend that there is significant scope for improvement of this particular shopfront, including the use of more appropriate materials in the Conservation Area.

SDNP/23/02226/HOUS: 34 Cranedown: Erection of Loft conversion with rear dormer and rooflights to front roof slope, replacement roof and alterations to former garage building.
The Friends of Lewes object to erection of the large dormer on the rear elevation as it does not accord with the current design guidance on dormers as it both too high and out of proportion with the design features of the existing building.

The Committee examined the following applications and had no observations to make:

SDNP/23/00902/HOUS & 00903/LIS: 13 East Street	Enlargement of first floor bathroom and replacement of kitchen window to french doors.
SDNP/23/01286/FUL: 26 Malling Street	Replacement of windows and doors with timber double glazed, with main entrance window and automatic door replaced in aluminium.
SDNP/01360/HOUS: 134 Western Road	Demolition of rear infill extension and erection of single-storey infill extension to rear.
SDNP/23/01528/HOUS: 3 Christie Road	Erection of two storey side extension and single storey rear extension.
SDNP/23/01628/FUL: Caburn Court, Station Street	Replacement of the existing timber framed main entrance doors with new automated aluminium framed double glazed doors.
SDNP/23/01760/FUL: Former Bus Station, Eastgate Street	Retrospective erection of temporary site hoardings and gates on Eastgate Street Frontage.
SDNP/23/01788/FUL: Priory School, Mountfield Road	Erection of boundary fence.
SDNP/23/01830/HOUS: 27 Priory Street	Front light well to basement cover to be replaced with sealed unit.
SDNP/23/01950/LIS: 140 High Street	Proposed internal glazed security door.
SDNP/23/02007/HOUS: 18 Highdown Road	Erection of single storey rear extension.
SDNP/23/02119/HOUS: 11 Leicester Road	Addition of conservation rooflight to front and extension of existing lightwell to front at lower ground floor level.
SDNP/23/02179/HOUS & 02180/LIS: 17 South Street	Single storey rear extension, new garden room and redecoration of street-facing facade.
SDNP/23/02141/HOUS & 01242/LIS: 2 St Pancras Road	Re-roofing of front roofslope in tiles to match existing.
SDNP/23/02154/LIS: Ground Floor Flat, 10-11 Priory Crescent	Infilling of internal doorway.