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:
Guided walking tour of one of England’s largest and most successful monasteries
Saturday 28 September
Over 450 years, between c.1080 and 1538, Lewes Priory became the richest religious house in Sussex and the most important of the English Cluniac foundations – in architecture, influence, art and learning. This tour brings to life the splendour and colour of the Priory as we walk through the remains of its massive buildings – plus the rare opportunity to see inside the Gundrada Chapel at Southover Church.
Assemble at 2.30pm prompt:
Trinity Church, Southover, Southover High Street,
Lewes BN7 1JH.
Tour duration:
Approx 2 hours. Sturdy walking shoes advised. Wheelchair access on paved slopes. No public toilets. Bring umbrella if wet. Dogs on leads.
BOOKING ESSENTIAL
£10 (£8 for members of Lewes Priory Trust)
Sorry, no refunds, all income to Lewes Priory Trust.
Buy in person or by phone
with credit/ debit card:
Lewes Tourist Information Centre
187 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2DE
6 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2AD – (Temporary Location)
Tel 01273 483 448
Celebrating 30Years of the European Federation of Cluniac Sites
An overview of the four summer visitors, their identification, nesting biology and conservation.
Paul Stevens is a respected ecologist, specialising in Swifts and hirundines and advising on handcrafting and supplying house martin nest cups around the UK. He will outline how the natural world functions in relation to habitat management especially the chalk downland, wildflower meadows and wetland ecosystems.
Friends of Lewes Members free, Non members £4 (Via Ticket Source)
From 5th June to 15th June, open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
All events at Lewes Climate Hub, Lewes House, 32 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2LU
The Trees Committee of Friends of Lewes manage the Lewes Urban Arboretum Project, which has led to global recognition of Lewes by ArbNet as an “arboretum town”. Since 2012, the Committee has been working with the community, local councils, and schools to increase tree canopy cover in Lewes – both for wildlife and for their beneficial ecosystem values.
Their i-Tree Ecosurvey suggests that Lewes needs to almost double the existing number of trees to become resilient to climate change. Drop into the Climate Hub to find out more about their work, the importance of trees for wildlife, and browse their suggestions of trees you might grow in your garden.
PLUS: Saturday 8th and Saturday 15th June: Make your own tree medallion to celebrate the wildlife that depends on trees.
Saturday 8th June, 11.00 am-3.00pm, Join Rustic Tim to learn how to make your own beautiful flower decoration out of wood, (£2 a flower).
Saturday 15 June, 1.30pm, “Trees for your garden and how to look after them”, a talk by Keith Sacre, arboriculturalist and member of the Trees Committee of Friends of Lewes. Keith will share his knowledge to help us all know what to think about when choosing a tree for our gardens and the different steps to take to help it thrive.
43rd Emil Godfrey Memorial Lecture – The Priors of Lewes
Wednesday 26th June 2024 – 7.45 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Lewes
LEWES SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATHEMATICS FESTIVAL 2024
The centrepiece of the Lewes STEM Festival, the STEM Fair will include exhibits contributed by the Universities (Brighton and Sussex), companies, charities, and other organisations. Last year’s STEM fair included over 30 different exhibits and welcomed more than 1100 visitors.
Please click on the link below for details
The public is able to vote for a ‘People’s Choice Award’ ahead of the closing date of midnight on Friday 6 September. The Landscape category contains two projects in Lewes: the Wallands School rain gardens project which FoL visited in 2023; and the recent restoration of the Cockshut Stream. Please see the link below if you are interested in voting.
Exciting shortlist announced as public poll opens for coveted awards
A public park makeover, café, eco-home, temple, and the restoration of a 570-year-old timber house are among the exciting mix of projects shortlisted for a prestigious South Downs Design Award.
More than 60 nominations were received across Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex for the National Park’s award scheme that celebrates outstanding design, architecture and innovation.
Sixteen unique projects have been shortlisted by judges and are now in with a chance of winning a stunning trophy, beautifully hand-carved in South Downs oak by acclaimed West Sussex-based sculptor, Alison Crowther.
Among those shortlisted are the restoration of a river, a glasshouse, a school extension and many more.
A judging panel, which includes members of the National Park’s Design Review Panel, will visit each shortlisted site and decide the winner in each category: Residential; Non-residential, Landscape and Conservation.
The public can also vote for their favourite out of the 16 for an overall “People’s Choice” award, with voting now open.
All the winners will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony, to be held at the South Downs Centre – itself a converted Victorian school – in Midhurst on 2 October.
Mike Hughes, Planning Director (Interim) for the National Park Authority, said: “I want to thank everyone who nominated and it’s been a really difficult task to shortlist as the calibre was so high.
“We’ve got an incredible mix of projects that show how diverse the built environment is in the South Downs, which is by far the most populated of any National Park in the UK and is a place where people, nature and history come together.
“Many of the projects incorporate first-class biodiversity and climate change mitigations, while others showcase design innovation that creates wonderful living spaces or the amazing restorations of extremely old buildings. Other projects show the vision for the future to continue enhancing this treasured landscape.
“I’m looking forward to finding out the public’s favourite and I would invite everyone to find out more about each project.”
The last South Downs Design Awards were held in 2019.
The shortlisted projects for 2024 are:
Residential category
Black Timber House, Rodmell, East Sussex
Hocking House, Petersfield, Hampshire
Lannings Way, Midhurst, West Sussex
The Mile House, Amberley, West Sussex
Non-residential category
Handlebar Café, Winchester, Hampshire
New Temple Complex, Liss, Hampshire
Prince’s Mead School Extension, Winchester, Hampshire
Landscape Category
Cockshut Stream Restoration, Lewes, East Sussex.
Wallands Community Primary School Raingarden, Lewes, East Sussex
Woolbeding Glasshouse, Woolbeding, West Sussex
Wild Park, Brighton, East Sussex
Conservation category
The Dower House, Chawton, Hampshire
The Restoration of Stanmer Park, Falmer, East Sussex
Tote Hill Barn, Stedham, West Sussex
Wiston Estate Winery, Washington, West Sussex
Chalk-based Renovation, Remediation and Regeneration (Shoreham Cement Works), West Sussex
Find out more and vote in “The People’s Choice” at www.southdowns.gov.uk/landscape-design-conservation/design-in-the-south-downs/awards/peoples-choice/
Voting will close at midnight on 6 September.
Friends of Lewes 