Will the South Downs National Park approve plans to demolish the Lewes Bus Station?
The Generator Group, and the site owners are proposing to demolish Lewes bus station and replace it with 40 dwellings along with commercial space for offices or shops. Sadly, currently they propose no affordable homes nor do they appear to offer to fund a new bus station.
To comment on this planning application go to: https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/
Click on ‘search’ and then choose ‘simple search’ and enter the application number: SDNP/22/02197/FUL
Or you can email: planning@southdowns.gov.uk
It’s worrying that the National Park seems to want to hurry this application through the planning system allowing only 5 weeks of consultation for the public to make their views known. The application was only validated on the 11th May 2022 and comments must be in by the 15th of June. That’s just 5 weeks including bank holidays and weekends. The National Park have not taken account of the the Queens Jubilee bank holidays and celebrations when many people were quite rightly celebrating the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.
In reality this application ought to be considered as a ‘major’ planning application with a 13 week consultation. However, right now the important thing is to spread the word about this development and ask that people to submit their comments. The developer will no doubt say in their defence they have held public consultations and submitted a pre application. That’s correct and hundreds of people gave their comments on the pre-application which ran for 7 months, from August 2021 to February 2022. Very unfortunately any comments made during that stage will not be taken into consideration by the planning officers when considering the main planning application.
Alternative ‘bus station’ sites
The developer also will no doubt say that they have put forward a series of alternative sites for the bus station but they’ve not offered to fund the building of the infrastructure for these sites. Are these proposed alternative sites suitable? Have a look at the developer’s suggestions by clicking HERE
(See our previous post click ( HERE )
Save Lewes Architecture 
We need to have more time for this a quick consultation that does not reflect the wishes of the majority is undesirable. This building holds memories and need to be listed accordingly!!
what ever next this is memorial to me and my family as my grandad helped build it the poor bus station and the people that work there there lively hood to save that bus station
If you have any fond memories of Lewes Bus Station then send an appeal to SDNPA QUICKLY through their website – over 200 objectors so far.