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E.S.C.C – Lewes Parking Review 3 – Informal consultation
East Sussex County Council are informally consulting on proposed changes to parking and waiting restrictions in Lewes District. They would like to invite your comments on these. The proposals follow requests for changes to existing parking controls or where local residents or businesses want new controls to be introduced.
Plans showing the proposals are available to view on the consultation hub. Please take the time to look at these and tell them your views. You can do this by completing the online consultation at the following link: https://consultation.eastsussex.gov.uk/economy-transport-environment/lewes-3-informal/
Notification of the review is being delivered to addresses in the affected areas this week. The consultation opens on 12 June 2026 and closes on 3 July 2026. All comments need to be received by the closing date. The level of support will determine the outcome of the proposals. If there are a number of suggested alternatives, these will be considered for inclusion in the final proposals.
If the proposals go forward then the draft Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will be written and advertised allowing 21 days for formal consultation, we expect this to take place in September to October 2026. If there are no objections the restrictions will be introduced and the draft TRO will be made permanent. If objections are received, they will need to consider these and present a report to the Planning Committee.
They will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please contact them by email to parking.escc@eastsussex.gov.uk or telephone 01323 466244.
South Downs Local Plan (Regulation 19) – Consultation Reminder
The South Downs National Park Authority is now midway through the consultation on the South Downs Local Plan (Proposed Submission).
This is the final stage of consultation, closing on Tuesday 23 June 2026 (23:59), before the Plan is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination. At this stage, the Planning Inspector will focus on whether the Plan is:
Legally compliant, and Sound (positively prepared, justified, effective, and consistent with national policy).
We encourage anyone wishing to comment to do so before the deadline.
Consultation details:
Consultation period: 12 May to 23 June 2026 (closing at 23:59)
Documents available:
The South Downs Local Plan – Proposed Submission (Regulation 19) May 2026
The Policies Map
Supporting evidence (including Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment) and background documents
View all the consultation documents on our website
Hard copies are available at:
South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH, see the website for opening hours
Seven Sisters Country Park Visitor Centre, Exceat, East Sussex, BN25 4AD, see the website for opening hours
They can also be viewed at the following libraries during normal opening hours:
Bishops Waltham Library, Free Street, Bishops Waltham, Hampshire, SO32 1EE
Findon Valley Library, Lime Tree Avenue, Findon Valley, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 0DH
Hassocks Library, 9 Ewart Close, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8FJ
Lancing Library, Penstone Park, Lancing, West Sussex, BN15 9DL
Lewes Library, Styles Field, Friars Walk, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2LZ
Liphook Library, London Road, Liphook, Hampshire, GU30 7AN
Midhurst Library, The Grange, Bepton Road, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9HD
Petersfield Library, 27 The Square, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3HH
Petworth Library, High Street, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0AU
Steyning Library, Church Street, Steyning, West Sussex, BN44 3YB
Have your say on the consultation portal
Submitting your comments online is the quickest and most efficient way to ensure they are received and helps us to process all comments promptly and effectively.
If you are unable to comment online, you can submit a Representation Questionnaire:
By email: planningpolicy@southdowns.gov.uk
By post: Planning Policy Team, South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH
Please note: Representations must be received by 23 June 2026 (23:59) and cannot normally be accepted after this date.
Further details are available in our Guidance Note on Making a Representation, and Statement of Representations Procedure.
View our Frequently Asked Questions on our website
What happens next
Following the close of consultation, the Local Plan and all duly made representations will be submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination by a Planning Inspector.
Data protection
Representations will be made publicly available as part of the examination process. For information on how we handle personal data, please see the website for our privacy notice.
If you have any questions about the consultation, please contact the Planning Policy Team at planningpolicy@southdowns.gov.uk or by telephone at 01730 814810.
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
Revisions to Lewes Historical Plaques page
To coalesce with Lewes Town Council terminology the page name is changed to Lewes Heritage Plaques
You are now able to nominate a heritage plaque directly by filling in the proposal form and returning it back to the Friends of Lewes ( subject to Terms and conditions)
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:
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
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.
Taking Steps for Wildlife 24 April – 15 June
A season of Biodiversity Events from 24 April to 15 June taking place at the Lewes Climate Hub
32 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2LU
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: