East Sussex town sees changes to 700-home development plans following residents complaints

Human Nature (Lewes) Ltd submitted a planning application to the South Downs National Park Authority for the redevelopment of the North Street Industrial Estate and Springman House back in January this year.

The proposals have been hugely controversial, due to a proposition to cut down most of the trees on the estate and along the Causeway. A petition opposing this idea amassed more than 85,000 signatures and was raised during Human Nature’s public consultations in May.

Following the consultation, Human Nature has submitted changes to the Park Authority; including the relocation of the Health Centre and greater space between the proposed new buildings and Pells Pool.

Jonathan Smales, Founder & CEO of Human Nature, said: “Following comments received during public consultation and meetings with local groups and the South Down National Park’s planning team, we have made a number of changes to our plans for Phoenix. This has been a really useful exercise – an example of the planning system working well to serve the local community and has resulted in an improved scheme overall.”

The footprint of the buildings closest to Pells Pool has been reduced to provide at least 6 metres between the buildings and the pool boundary. No overlooking will be possible from windows, balconies or roof terraces within 20 metres of the pool boundary because of tree planting, window design and/or external screens.

The ‘gable ends’ facing the pool have been reduced to three storeys, with the Design Code – a legally binding document that controls future detailed designs – prohibiting windows to prevent any overlooking.

Human Nature say these changes also creates the potential to retain more of the existing trees here, alongside announcing that a new feasibility study for retaining trees would be undertaken.

Mr Smales said: “As we have often said, this is a wickedly difficult site – and working towards a high-quality, energy efficient, sustainable, inclusive and viable scheme, that reconciles different community interests and views, meets our own and indeed the Park’s lofty ambitions in terms of a new benchmark in quality, is a difficult balancing act. Two former development proposals failed and it is time to bring new life to this sorely neglected part of our beautiful town.”

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The Health Centre, which will house the Foundry Healthcare Practice, will now be located just off the Causeway, adjacent to the Co-Mobility Hub.

Human Nature said they made these changes following the advice of community groups, and comments from the Park and neighbours about the impact of the building in its previous location.

The developer was also asked to provide bus lay-bys of the Causeway as a contingency, following the Generator Group's current application for the bus depot site.

Human Nature say it has designed a green, safe and pleasant place to wait for buses, with appropriate seating, shelter and kiosk (now connected to the new Health Centre), in a landscaped park.

These above changes have been submitted to the Park Authority, meaning a new consultation period has now opened and will run until the end of the month.