SITE OPPORTUNITIES & CONSTRAINTS

Opportunities and Constraints

The following page summarises the principal spatial, policy and designation constraints, some of which are described elsewhere in this chapter where further detail is required.

The most effective way to address constraints is, wherever possible, to re-frame them as opportunities, thereby treating investment of time, money and energy in their resolution as a positive investment in the future. River Ouse flood risk is a good example of this; flooding from the river is a major constraint which requires an expensive and potentially carbon intensive technical solution. In addressing this constraint, riverside living, waterfront public access and riverine ecology can all be provided for, while improving public safety.

Please refer to the masterplan chapter (8) and the Access & Technical Strategies Chapter (10) of this document for further information on how the masterplan responds to these constraints. Further information can be found in the accompanying Environmental Statement.

Existing Below Ground Infrastructure

Compound, unplanned and obsolete existing below ground infrastructure is a major constraint both from a financial and spatial perspective. The industrial nature of the site (with lower existing capacity requirements for some infrastructure types) and its piecemeal evolution over time (without a strategic infrastructure plan) results in the need to upgrade or replace a significant proportion of the existing infrastructure while some remains. The specific spatial constraint therefore is that infrastructure corridors (mostly under existing streets) need to be retained, this lends weight to retaining the existing street pattern.

Southern Water Tunnel – built as storm relief asset following severe flooding in the year 2000 this major below ground constraint has stand off distances (areas adjacent in which new construction is prohibited) and for which ‘build over’ (constructing bridging foundations to allow buildings to be built over it) is difficult to agree.

Rainwater Flooding

Managing rainwater in extreme events is an increasing challenge. Post-development, sites which are subject to redevelopment are expected to manage rainwater as if they are a ‘greenfield’, capturing and holding water on site and releasing it slowly, much like an undeveloped site. Policy expectation is that sustainable urban drainage (SuDs) systems are used for this purpose; using nature based solutions such as swales and rain gardens to manage rainwater as opposed 20th century techniques of ushering rainwater as quickly as possible into sewage systems using ‘hard’ (pipes, sealed surfaces) solutions. A SuDs system is Human Nature’s preferred approach, the challenge is that ‘natured based solutions’ use more space than ‘harder’ solution; this can impact on the use of a site for other functions / uses. An additional site specific constraint at the Phoenix is that any development does not just have to manage rainfall that falls on site. Up to 40% of the water that arrives on site via rainfall does so having flowed down the hill from the west; this means that the space required for managing water is significantly increased against what might be expected from the site area itself.

The opportunity here is to capture water for use in irrigation, to support biodiversity, ecology, to promote urban cooling, play, tranquillity and for greywater use while at the same time mitigating flood events.

River Flooding

The Phoenix site is in Flood Zone 3A (high probability of flooding) and 3B (Functional flood plain) these are the highest flood risk classifications offered by the Environment Agency. Flooding is a significant constraint, in 2000 a major flood caused the site to be inundated with over 1.5m depth of flood water causing significant damage to homes and businesses.

Protecting the site from flooding (and adjacent neighbours in line with Environment Agency Policy) requires the construction of robust flood defences in the form of a permanent wall along the bulk of the site’s Ouse and Pells facing edges with temporary flood barriers to block pedestrian and vehicle movement routes thereby preventing future inundation.

Listed Buildings & Scheduled Monuments

Several listed buildings exist close to the site including Trinity Church and Harvey’s Brewery, the heritage buildings on site are not listed.

The Green Wall fragement on site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, constraints related to this highly sensitive nationally important structure require a spatial response (including stand off distances in the masterplan).

The opportunity here is to showcase the location of the Green Wall, both where it remains below ground and the former alignment. Interpretation can also be included (both for unlisted heritage structures and the Green Wall) this will contribute to every-day experiences of the site but also support tourism in the town.

Conservation Area

Only one site in the planning application boundary (the existing Springman House and ambulance station) is in a Conservation Area (CA) but the entire western edge of the site forms the boundary with the CA; the setting of buildings in the CA must be respected. In this context proposals must carefully manage the transition between proposed development and the Conservation Area so as to respect its unique character. The setting of the CA must also be considered in the long distance views such as those from Malling Down.

This is an opportunity to recognise the positive and negative influence that the Phoenix site currently has on the Conservation Area and to develop the proposals to be net positive to the setting of this important designation.

Existing Buildings & Structures On Site

The majority of the existing buildings on site are of little long-term value except in disassembly for elemental re-use. Those non-designated heritage assets of value are described elsewhere in this chapter and are shown on the plan opposite.

While the existing buildings/structures are generally in a state of some dereliction their cultural heritage value is high, some of these (Foundry Workshop and Every Hall) are relatively low slung and their retention, while affecting density distribution, allows this area of the site to remain low, thereby proving the opportunity to create a key view towards Brack Mount and Lewes Castle from Malling Rec and a new bridge.

Existing Buildings Off Site

Corporation

Villas and Lewes Community Fire Station are outside the ownership of the applicant and therefore do not form part of the proposals. However as neighbours (and surrounded by the applicant’s ownership), these sites, their operational requirements (Fire Station) and residential amenity (Corporation Villas) do need to be considered in the proposals.

Phoenix Causeway Edge

The Phoenix Causeway is a major physical barrier to pedestrian and cycle movement in and out of the Phoenix site across its southern boundary and to the wider town centre. This severance has resulted in the perception of the Phoenix site as being derelict and unused, this issue is a self-perpetuating problem - the longer the site lies dormant and inaccessible the worse these problems become. The spatial experience of Phoenix Causeway itself is also a challenge; traffic speeds are high, pedestrian movement is uncomfortable and air quality is poor. It is important to acknowledge that the existing TPO trees to the north of the Phoenix Causeway do form a green edge to the Phoenix site, they have some amenity value and screen the derelict buildings to the north. However, this existing ‘green edge’ contributes little to celebrating arrival into the town or providing a positive pedestrian experience.

These challenges offer a major opportunity to improve the arrival experience into the town and to the Phoenix, including but not limited to addressing:

Car Dominance & Parking - Existing town parking (and proposed resident parking) can be consolidated within the Phoenix site. Capturing traffic and accessing parking directly from the Phoenix Causeway would support modal shift and reduce the need for cars to enter Lewes town centre. The net benefit could be a significant improvement to road safety, air quality and a general reduction car domination to the southern parts of the town centre.

Street Experience - In tandem with addressing vehicle movement and parking there is also the opportunity to provide public transport / active travel routes and interfaces (refer to bus facility commentary below). Public realm improvements and active frontage (through built form) to the north side of the street could provide a humanised, welcoming arrival experience to the Phoenix and Lewes town centre.

Landscape Character & Significant Views

LVIA issues are described in the earlier commentary within this section, they must be addressed to protect and enhance the character of Lewes and the special qualities of the South Downs National Park. The critical views are again identified on the plan opposite.

Bus Facilities & Ouse Bridge

Redevelopment of the former Lewes Bus Station site (the bus station having closed in 2022 due to termination of the operator’s lease by its owners) within Spatial Policy 3 (and SD 57) of the Local Plan is contingent on the bus provision being ‘replaced on an operationally satisfactory and accessible site elsewhere’. The former Lewes Bus Station site does not form part of the applicant’s ownership nor is it part of this application, however it has been established through pre-application meetings (with SDNPA and ESCC) for the Phoenix that these Authorities consider the correct interpretation of the policy to be that re-provision of bus facilities is a matter for all sites within the policy area including the Phoenix. The result is that the provision of bus facilities on the Phoenix site is a spatial constraint because policy requires it to be considered in planning the site. Policy SD57 of the Local Plan (Strategic Site Policy) indicates the desire for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Ouse from the Phoenix site. These spatial constraints are opportunities to promote connectivity and active travel, both of which are extremely desirable for the Phoenix and the town.

Site Constraints Diagram

Key

Listed Buildings

Scheduled Monument

Green Wall (remaining fragment)

Conservation Area

Existing Buildings

Existing Non Designated Heritage Assets

Existing Buildings Off Site

Rainwater Flooding

Flood Zone 3A

Flood Zone 3B

Southern Water Storm Tunnel

Phoenix Causeway Edge

Bus facilities

Bridge Provision

Significant Views

Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

Local Nature Reserves (LNR)