Member Article

Major step forward for North Street Quarter as planning application is approved

A proposed development in Lewes, North Street Quarter, has reached a significant milestone as detailed plans for the landscape and appearance of phases 2 & 3 were approved by the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) (11 April).

North Street Quarter was given planning permission in May 2016 to regenerate a brownfield site in the historic town of Lewes, East Sussex, providing 416 homes (40% affordable), commercial space, a health hub and a public car park, along with significant improvements to the area along the river.

This included outline permission for the whole scheme and full planning permission for the first phase of the development.

Phases 2 & 3 comprise 178 homes in the western part of the scheme. The planning application for the appearance and landscape of this area deals with the architectural style and proposed materials of the buildings, as well as landscaping elements such as the new riverside walk, the courtyards and planting schemes.

The proposals were shown to the public at an exhibition in October last year and feedback from the event helped shape the final plans.

Will Noton from North Street Quarter Ltd, who jointly own the scheme with Lewes District Council, said: “Our team of architects and landscape professionals, together with planning advisers, Vail Williams, has been working on the detailed plans for many months so we are delighted that the application has now been approved. We’ve worked with the local community throughout and are confident that North Street Quarter will bring many benefits to Lewes and its residents.

“We’re now looking forward to appointing a developer to build this exciting scheme.”

As well as providing much-needed housing, including 165 affordable homes, a new health hub, public parking and business space for creative industries, the scheme will complete the town’s flood defences and open up the river to the public by creating a riverside walk, a new footbridge across to Malling Fields and a slipway from which small boats can be launched.

James Lacey, partner at property advisers, Vail Williams LLP, who provided planning consultancy advice to North Street Quarter Ltd, said: “We are proud to have been involved in this project since 2017. The scheme’s size and unique location - a large brownfield site on the edge of an historic town, but also within a national park and conservation area – means that the planning process is very complex. A great deal of attention has been paid to the design of the scheme to ensure that the character of Lewes is reflected in the architectural style and appearance of North Street Quarter.”

Vail Williams has advised on the project since 2017 from phase 1 clearing and pre-commencement conditions, to the latest phase of the scheme, drawing on expertise from across the firm’s offices in London, Reading, Birmingham and Crawley, including development advice from Chris Cave, project monitoring and demolition advice from Mark Walkden and planning expertise from James Williams.

“We are delighted that, having addressed the reserved matters of appearance and landscaping, this latest phase of the scheme has been approved and we look forward to continuing to work in collaboration with our client, North Street Quarter Ltd, along with the scheme’s joint owners Lewes District Council, and the South Downs National Park Authority, to maintain momentum with this scheme as it moves forwards into the next phase,” concluded Lacey.

Additional advisers to the scheme include Kevin MacKenzie, MacGregor Smith, RHP Architects, Giles Jollands Architects and Dalmore Land Limited.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Han Communications .