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Public meeting on Local Government Reorganisation

Reorganisation proposals confirmed – Government Minister invited

Residents are being invited to join the Leader of Lewes District Council at a public meeting on Friday 29 May, 6pm–7pm at the Meridian Centre, Peacehaven to discuss the government’s latest consultation on local government reorganisation.

The consultation could lead to Falmer, East Saltdean, Telscombe and Peacehaven being moved out of Lewes district and into Brighton & Hove.

Councillor Zoe Nicholson, Leader of Lewes District Council, said:

“This meeting will give residents another chance to voice their concerns and send a very clear message to the government.

“We have invited Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Local Government, to attend and explain why the government is not listening to our residents. Let’s not forget, we are still waiting to see the results of the government’s first consultation from many months ago.”

The meeting will give residents the opportunity to hear the latest information, ask questions, and share their views.

Councillor Nicholson added:

”I encourage as many people as possible to join me on 29 May at the Meridian Centre.

“If this proposal goes ahead, our residents will lose their local identity, their local voice and their agency to influence their future.

“It is vital that people make their views heard and I hope the minister will join us to hear them.”

For more information and a link to the consultation, visit lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/LGR

Winterbourne Festival 1st – 9th March 2025

Instagram / Facebook / Love our Ouse Website

Sponsored by The Friends of Lewes

Community initiative Love our Ouse and local partners have been awarded funds to deliver a festival on the 1st to the 9th March dedicated to the Winterbourne Stream that flows through Lewes

Read the press release here:

Winterbourne Festival Programme releaseDownload

Climate Change: Implications for Coastal & Fluvial flooding in Lewes and the lower Ouse valley – 19 June

Wednesday 19 June 2024, 7.30 pm, Council Chamber, First floor, Lewes Town Hall, High Street entrance (Disabled entrance & lift on Fisher Street) – John Gower, Friends of Lewes

A recording of this talk is now available to view on YouTube.

Climate change is bringing increasing rainfall and building development is paving over green surfaces causing more and faster runoff which makes its way into our streams and rivers.  Sea levels are rising and the landmass of the South of England is sinking by 1.5mm a year. All this combines to increase flood risk to Lewes and the lower Ouse valley.

John Gower, the Flood Lead for the Friends of Lewes, will be giving a talk on the 19 June on Climate change: implications for coastal & fluvial flooding in Lewes and the lower Ouse valley.

John has recently retired after a lifelong career as an environmental scientist and climate change/ flood risk manager with the Environment Agency.  John will explain the risks around ever-increasing flood risks, what we can do to mitigate these and how we will need to adapt in the future.

This talk is free for Friends of Lewes. Non-members can pay £4.00 on the door to attend or join here.

See the Diary page for a list of forthcoming events organised by the Friends of Lewes

Seaford Head Great storm of 1987, source: Environment Agency
Lewes October 2000, source: Environment Agency

FoL AGM & Talk: Retrofitting in Lewes – 24 April 2024

Wednesday 24 April 2024, Lewes Town Hall, Fisher Street entrance

Chris Rowlands and Nicki Myers of Ovesco

How can Lewes to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions, especially in conservation areas? Community Energy Company Ovesco (Ouse Valley Climate Action) is helping residents with advice to generate energy and become more energy efficient. OVESCO knows that more homes are installing PV, heat pumps, batteries and EV charging points. But local energy generation needs to be delivered with energy efficiency for a low carbon future and this requires existing homes to retrofit. The solutions can be complex especially in a conservation area where we need to protect the character of Lewes as well as the environment. The need to work together to find affordable solutions for everyone has never been more important as we adapt to climate change.

Find out more from OVESCO and Sussex based installers OHM Energy (represented by Jason Lindfeld and Courtney Frazer-Bates) with sustainable buildings expert Suzy Nelson, architect Ian MacKay from Deeper Green.

The talk and panel discussion will start at around 8.15pm, following the Friends of Lewes AGM which begins at 7.30 pm. The AGM is for members-only but non-members can attend the talk by paying £4 on the door.

FoL Response to Planning Application for Former Bus Station site

The Friends of Lewes maintain their strong objection to the planning application ‘SDNP/23/02973/FUL: Former Bus Station Eastgate Street: Demolition of existing buildings and construction of mixed-use development comprising 3 houses (Class C3), 32 self-contained flats (Class C3) and 198 m2 of ground floor commercial space (Class E), with associated access alterations, landscaping and parking. (Amended Plans and additional documents)

The Friends of Lewes have written to the SDNPA as follows:

former-bus-station-eastgate-streetDownload

Lewes Bus Station: Reconsultation open until 22 March 2024

The SDNPA has received amended plans and additional documents regarding Generator (Eastgate Street) Ltd’s planning application for Lewes Bus Station. These may be viewed by searching by the SDNPA’s Planning Portal for proposal SDNP/23/02973/FUL. The application is open for comments until Friday 22 March 2024 (in writing to the SDNPA, by email to planning@southdowns.gov.uk or online) .

In addition, the SDNPA has refused Generator’s application for retrospective planning permission for temporary hoardings and gates around the bus station for an additional 12 months. The reasons for the refusal can be viewed via the Planning Portal by searching for SDNP/24/00114/FUL.

How to protect yourself from surface water flooding – 30 March 2024

Saturday 30 March, 11am-12.30pm, Lewes Climate Hub, 32 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2LU

Lewes has experienced severe flooding several times and the town is at increasing risk due to climate change and development. One particular problem is surface water flooding, which happens when there is too much rain for the drains and streets fill with water. One way of reducing this type of flooding is to slow down the water so that it can sink safely into the soil or drains. This event will look at steps that you can take in your home, garden and street to help protect yourself and your community from surface water flooding. Join us to delve into the practical solutions and meet experts including from the Friends of Lewes and Love Our Ouse with support from the Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust. Bring your questions to learn more about practical techniques for sustainable flood prevention and climate resilience.

NB. This is a NEW date which replaces the event previously scheduled for 23rd March

Plant Power! 24 February 2024

On Saturday 24th February, 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., Western Road School will be hosting a special event at Lewes Climate Hub, Lewes House, 32 High Street. Come along and find out how they have been using their hedgerows, (planted with the help of the Trees Committee of Friends of Lewes), the Forest School area and their dye garden to improve the biodiversity of the school grounds and support the wellbeing, creativity and learning of the pupils.

On Saturday there will be free educational activities and seeds to take home and sow. Cards and badges, based on the beautiful art work of the pupils, will be on sale.

Visitors to the Hub may also preview the exhibition from Wednesday 21st to Friday 23rd February.