On 3 Aug 2015 at 4:37pm snoopy wrote:
Can anyone from Lewes community Land Trust explain why the latest statement on your website ‘welcomes’ Santons planning application? Santons plans go against your mission statement and your own survey.
Personally I don't think being bribed with 15 housing units is a justifiable reason for chucking away your basic principles.
I think it's time to 're-brand' simply as LEWES LAND and forget about the COMMUNITY and TRUST bit because it no longer applies.
On 3 Aug 2015 at 4:46pm bastian wrote:
like the Lib Dems, they think they can moderate from the inside, and we all nkow what happened to the Lib Dems when they did that.
Forget it CLT, you will have sold us all up the swanny if you approve of the current development plans because there are NO community facillities in there (unless you call a medical centre a community interest, which it is not, it is a vital point of care for the new 850 people who will be buying into Lewes).
If this is anything to do with Mr Dicks and his mate Mr Stockdale then we are sunk.
On 3 Aug 2015 at 6:19pm lewes wrote:
I'm glad they support Santon's plans as do I. We need more homes and that is what is important here. The plans look great and I can't wait to find out in the next couple of weeks whether the plans have been approved!
On 3 Aug 2015 at 6:41pm Anthony Dicks wrote:
Bastion. I won't hide - as you do - behind a pseudonym. And I'd love to think I have any influence at all, let alone what would be needed to sink you. You may be surprised to learn that I recently voted to recommend rejection of Santon and LDC's plans for North Street.
I do however support the CLT and believe that any initiative that will enable them to provide social housing in Lewes deserves all the help it can get.
It's interesting that last Tuesday's LDC effort in the Town Hall where those few townspeople who somehow learned about the event were introduced to a team that included the Council, an Architect and a Developer with no mention of the Community Land Trust.
As the whole event was a shambles, it may well be a blessing for the CLT in disguise that it had not been invited.
Anthony Dicks
On 3 Aug 2015 at 7:03pm snoopy wrote:
@ lewes.
Of course 'We' need more homes & what the plans look like is a matter of opinion. Sadly you are not a LCLT member so not a lot of help with my gripe. But thanks for a least expressing your views openly and transparently.
I hope at least one of the apparent 500+ members comes on here and explains how/why they came to that decision.
On 3 Aug 2015 at 7:28pm snoopy wrote:
Mr Dicks - are you a member of LCLT? If so how was that decision made? Thanks.
On 3 Aug 2015 at 8:12pm Anthony Dicks wrote:
I was a founder trustee of Lewes CLT, but resigned 3 years ago. I still support the Trust's aims but cannot tell you how it came to its decision to support the bid.
On 3 Aug 2015 at 8:41pm snoopy wrote:
Thanks for your openness Mr Dicks - the original aims & objectives seem to have shifted.
From the LCLT website;
Lewes Community Land Trust was founded back in 2007 to offer a credible alternative to private development with its consequent need for profit-driven investment, by providing affordable housing and leisure facilities, together with local employment opportunities, while respecting conservation needs and problems associated with flood plain development.
On 3 Aug 2015 at 10:15pm lewes resident wrote:
snoopy , it's a planning application not a bid ! the planning application will be decided by the planning authority based on facts , planning policy and consultation ,maybe the application gets called in by Government who knows ! , but Lewes CLT are just simply trying to support their agreed objectives and deliver credible local housing , as CLTs do eleswhere - why would you not support that ? what they said in 2007 stands as good today - all planning decisions are a seperate matter
On 4 Aug 2015 at 12:23am snoopy wrote:
Lewes Resident are you a member of LCLT?
Again from their website
Community land trusts (also known as “development trusts”) are community owned and led organisations.They use self-help, trading for social purpose, and ownership of buildings and land, to bring about long-term social, economic and environmental benefits in their community.
I am trying to find out who/why this decision was made. LCLT has taken a slice of the pie (housing) without regard for it's other core principles including it's stance with profit driven development. I see nothing in their latest newsletter regarding supporting the workers on the Phoenix The loss of up to 500 jobs is a serious consideration. The 'social and economic' impact will be a huge blow to the fabric of this town unless whoever develops does so with sensitivity.
I believe that a large percentage of this organisations 500+ membership did not sign up for something like this to happen - was there a vote or ballot? I just want someone to come on here from LCLT and justify how they came to that decision.
Can you?
On 4 Aug 2015 at 8:34am lewes resident wrote:
Snoopy your predjuice is clear, I simply refer back what I said earlier about the planning application , LCLT are simply doing what any good CLT would do which is try to secure some local based deliverable affordable housing - I still have no idea where you anti change lot get these figures from there is no reality in them at all
On 4 Aug 2015 at 12:10pm bastian wrote:
It is interesting how, if anyone disagrees with the plans, "local resident" accuses them of being prejudiced! It is not a prejudice to want something with principals attached. This is a rottem borough by any other name. Would John Stockdale like to cooment, Mr Dicks has at least been brave enough to answer (I rspect that).
On 4 Aug 2015 at 2:34pm John Stockdale wrote:
Bastian, it's holiday time and I follow the Forum only intermittently at the best of time.
Lewes resident sums up Lewes CLT’s position well. We have to take a pragmatic view. Where we get an opportunity to provide housing for those who can’t afford to live in the town where they grew up we should take it. Snoopy sees 15 houses as a bribe. We see that as a good start.
For other CLTs just getting on with it follow the link.
Check it out here »
On 4 Aug 2015 at 7:19pm 15 to 1 wrote:
The trouble with publically supporting something too early under the label of 'pragmatism' is that you can't demand more or now do anything further, other than police the provision of 15 .. It is also astonishingly naive to think that Developers and Planners in Lewes have been responding to pragmatism. It is a mistake that Friends of Lewes have been making for over a decade. How is CLT ever going to take advantage of any shifts and changes in this process to even lobby for 16 homes? CLT has neutered itself. I suspect that this enormous development had to have a rather ridiculously small 15 to get any kind of permission, and that no one other than Santon has influenced that figure.
On 5 Aug 2015 at 7:41am bastian wrote:
the best thing CLT could have done is to go in with Phoenix, but it is too late now, CLT has left Phoenix in a difficult position even though their aims "were" the same.
If you look at the aims of all the local groups who have shown an interest in this build you will find that thye are roughly the same. Then two of the main groups have gone in with the developers trashing the aims of their organisation "just" because the developer has offered their legal obligations of "a few" social housing units. There is more to this issue than housing, there is also the issue of jobs, many of ehich are not about to be offered places in Lewes-this is something that the National Park is concerned about. By the way, social housing, cooperative housing tc is going to be up for sale almost imediately under this government.
On 5 Aug 2015 at 8:32am Localbod wrote:
It was not going to be easy to unite, to get the best result, but I believe it is called 'teamwork' .
On 5 Aug 2015 at 9:13pm snoopy wrote:
@ Mr Stockdale, with respect I did flag a question that you seemed to have missed or side-stepped.
The clue is in the title thread.
As a former trustee & present adviser to LCLT do you know who voted for this decision- the membership?, trustee's? or 'can't say because it's a secret'.
BTW. As a resident of Lewes here is some customer feedback; As a major partner in the NSQ development LDC has shamefully offered little or no help towards the transition or migration of the many business on the Phoenix. The potential job losses and the pain & misery it would cause to hundreds of peoples families should be of serious consideration. The Social and Economic culture of the town will be severely affected.
Mr Stockdale I believe there is still time to get the best deal for the town and ensure a smooth transition whatever happens and not just roll over and be tickled - it's pathetic. This development is set to turnover £100 million. Please remind your fellow Councillors not to forget ALL the people they promised to be accountable to and actually start representing. thanks.
On 6 Aug 2015 at 6:08pm bastian wrote:
That's £100 million from £5 million-who's good at maths.