Friends of Lewes Planning Committee Report – 6th August 2025

Representations made on planning applications following the meeting of the Planning Committee held on the 6th August 2025

Decisions: The following SDNPA decisions are available online:

None of the Planning Applications, which the Society had responded to, were included in this month’s SDPNA decisions.

New Planning Applications:-

SDNP/25/02415/FUL: 10 South Way: Astley House, Spital Road: Demolition of the vacant building and the construction of 27 residential dwellings with associated landscaping, on-sit car parking and access from / to Spital Road.

The Friends of Lewes object to this proposal, as the Society considers that this amended scheme to be inferior to the 2021 scheme, which was refused and the subsequent planning appeal dismissed. While the overall layout was considered acceptable, (with terrace housing facing both Spital and De Montford Road and a taller block of flats punctuating the Neville Road corner), the building design of both the houses and the terrace housing suffer from bland/ uninspiring elevations. The block of flats also has an untidy/fussy roof profile that inelegantly punctuates the Neville Road junction.

Consequently the Society considers that this scheme will have a negative impact upon the streetscape of the Conservation Area.

The Society also had the following more detailed concerns with the scheme:

The sub division of the rear courtyard arrangement neither delivers usable communal space or sufficient private realm. It would be better simply divided into private gardens with front access to parking only.
The narrow twittens were also questioned from a personal security perspective as they are narrow and inadequately overlooked. They are also unnecessary for connectivity as there is an existing alley further down the road.
There is insufficient bin provision and this needs to be integrated as part of the individual houses.
The three houses on the east end of De Montford Road can only be accessed from the rear. This is a poor arrangement for security/community safety reasons and the houses consequently fail to adequately address the street.
The render treatment of the terrace houses was questioned because of its poor weathering properties and because it is atypical for Lewes. A variation of the brick type would be a more appropriate approach.
The vehicular entrance of the car park appears constrained with poor sight lines for pedestrians along the footway.
While the dead ground floor of the block of flats was considered unfortunate, it was accepted this was a necessary evil that is required to discreetly accommodate the car parking.

SDNP/25/01441/LDE: 46 Spences Lane: Use of property as two separate flats since 2015.The Friends of Lewes object to this proposal because the property is within Flood Zone 3, which flooded badly in 2000. Contrary to planning requirements, there is no Flood Risk Assessment for this application and new sleeping accommodation should not be granted approval in the flood plain.

SDNP/25/02551/FUL: Aldi House, Brooks Road: Demolition of four industrial units and part demolition of the food store for the construction of an extension to the food store with car and cycle parking and associated works.

The Friends of Lewes were concerned about the over-provision of supermarkets (and the consequent traffic generation), but agreed this was a better option than the proposed new Lidl store. While the Society agreed that the proposed elevations were a slight improvement upon the existing facade, the Society opposed the loss of two established trees on the prominent south east corner (adjacent to the roundabout) to accommodate two family sized parking spaces; it was felt this green edge needed to be retained to soften the otherwise mostly hard edged environment in the surrounding area. The loss of the trees should be easily avoidable by swapping the parking spaces around and retaining the existing standard spaces on the front boundary.

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

SDNP/25/02551/FUL: Aldi House, Brooks Road.	Demolition of four existing industrial units and part demolition of the food store for the construction of an extension to the food store with car and cycle parking, landscaping and associated works.
SDNP/25/02126/ADV: Town Hall, High Street.	Flying of the following flags from flagpole; Progressive Pride Flag (first and last day of February, first Friday, Saturday and Sunday of August). Black History Month Flag (first and last day of October) and White Ribbon Flag (flown for 16 days starting November 25th).
SDNP/25/02460/NMA: 14 Middle Way.	Non-material Amendment to Planning Approval SDNP/24/05083/HOUS to include changing from brick to wood cladding to rear extension, changing from double glazed windows and doors to triple glazed and a change in materials from zinc cladding to dark grey envirotiles to the ground floor extension.
SDNP/25/02548/LIS: 25 Sun Street.	Replacement of 3no rear timber sash windows.
SDNP/25/02612/HOUS: 5 Lodge Close.	Infill of existing lean-to porch.
SDNP/25/02687/LDP: 35 Winterbourne Close.	Erection of single storey rear extension.
SDNP/25/02688/HOUS: 50B St Anne’s Crescent.	Erection of driveway to provide 1no parking space and bin and cycle storage.
SDNP/25/02745/HOUS & 02746/LIS: 13 Keere Street.	Demolition and replacement of outdoor WC and erection of writing studio to rear of garden.
SDNP/25/02761/HOUS: 27 St Swithun’s Terrace.	Replacement of 2no windows to rear.
SDNP/25/02771/HOUS: 32 Caburn Crescent.	Conversion of garage to bedroom with bay window, open sided porch and steps.
SDNP/25/02822/TEL: Land opposite 45 The Avenue.	Installation of 1no 9m light pole.
SDNP/25/02825/HOUS & 02826/LIS: 2 Sun Street.	Erection of single storey rear extension to accommodate downstairs toilet and internal alterations such as removal of ensuite and replacement with dressing area and alterations to first floor bathroom to enable provision of a shower.
SDNP/25/02874/LDP: 1 Hamsey Crescent.	Erection of single storey rear extension.
SDNP/25/02883/LIS: 25 Abinger Place.	Partial removal of existing partition to create ensuite to master bedroom and blocking up of existing doorway.
SDNP/25/02884/HOUS: 20 Hillyfield.	Erection of loft conversion with rear dormer window and 2no rooflights to front rooflsope and 1no rooflight to rear roofslope.
SDNP/25/02912/HOUS: 6 De Montfort Terrace.	Installation of an air source heat pump to the rear.
SDNP/25/02930/HOUS: 30 South Way.	Proposed front platform to be raised over 300mm
SDNP/25/02939/LIS: 34-35 Flat 1 High Street.	Repair roof coverings to flat and pitched roofs, and external repairs decorations to match existing exterior.