On 16 Oct 2015 at 9:53am Janet wrote:
What's not in it for me? Let me spell it out:
no Starfish,
no Furniture now,
no North Street Garage
no Norh Street Dentist
no Zu Studios
no Cafe des Artistes
no Foundry Gallery
no Maker spaces
no Lewes Shed
no Pop Up Studios
no Dance Academy
no Lewes Tyres
no Pine strippers
no Equestrian Shop
overcrowded Pells Pool
no Compass Travel
no Body Workshop
no Lewes Car Body Workshop
less Furniture design/manufaturers
less screen printers
no Harrisons Design & Make
no Self Storage place
no Recycling centre
less large office space
no Gorringes
loss of 2 large car parks
more traffic
less chance of getting my kids into a primary school
longer wait for a doctors appointment
bigger queues in Tescos/Aldi/Waitrose
but hey we're getting 450 new houses most of which will probably be bought as buy-to-lets
The rich get richer and we pay the price
On 16 Oct 2015 at 10:07am Chap wrote:
So, are you for or against it overall?
On 16 Oct 2015 at 10:46am Fake Sarah wrote:
I think the dentist is staying if it changes?
On 16 Oct 2015 at 11:26am OffRoad wrote:
We also have a huge housing crisis, especially in the South East. It's really very selfish, at best insular, to keep asking "but what will it do for me? how will it help Lewes?" or "but we need our trustafarian artists...!" when we should be thinking about our contribution to a national problem.
I doubt they will all be buy-to-lets. There will be 450 households living there, 450 new homes for people. Hey, even if they are buy-to-lets, they will be let to someone who will live there and have a roof over their head. And even if they are well off, it frees up space elsewhere (maybe ten or eleven times removed) for someone in genuine need to live.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 11:50am the kronic wrote:
Having lived in Lewes almost all my 50 years of life, i can honestly say that apart from ATS, i've never felt the need to use any of the list that Janet's posted.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 12:32pm Jeff wrote:
Well having lived here for 18 yrs I've used 14 of them.
You should probably get out more.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 12:41pm Got a Life wrote:
I wouldn't call using any of that list 'getting out more' !
On 16 Oct 2015 at 12:41pm the kronic wrote:
Well aren't you Billy Big Balls. If i want to go to a run down slum, i'll go and visit my uncle in Bermondsey.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 12:47pm Zzz... wrote:
We have a shortage of water in Sussex (EA classes our water supply as "seriously stressed") and the travel infrastructure is crap (roads block in rush hours and the bus system is in terminal decline). The last thing Lewes needs is 450 new flats rented out by multiple property owners (buy-to-letters). And that's what they'll be... these are not affordable properties, not affordable to the vast majority of Lewes residents anyway.
The current Phoenix residents and businesses lend Lewes much needed colour and diversity. Lewes will be the poorer without them. Santon's scheme will only be good for the developers and the buy-to-letters who purchase the identikit rabbit-hutch flats.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 1:09pm Ducatipete wrote:
Traffic Traffic Traffic!!!!!!!!!!
On 16 Oct 2015 at 1:10pm lewes wrote:
Zzzz. Wrong... that's exactly what lewes needs... housing and when do we want it .. Now!! The infrastructure and road improvement is included and follows!!! I live in lewes and work in lewes all my life and this is what we want here!
On 16 Oct 2015 at 1:26pm Zzz... wrote:
We need housing for the children and parents of existing Lewes residents, not characterless identikit rabbit-hutches for buy-to-letters to expensively let to commuters.
BTW 'Lewes' am I right to think that you have a vested interest in this development?
On 16 Oct 2015 at 1:36pm lewes wrote:
Zzz... Please wake up!!! Yes I have a vested interested, I live and work in lewes, my parents live here, my kids live here, my nephews and nieces also live here... Can you get any more vested than that!!!!!!
On 16 Oct 2015 at 2:10pm Zzz... wrote:
You can certainly get more vested than that 'Lewes', as I suspect you are.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 2:14pm Bod wrote:
Lewes's posts are both tedious and ridiculous. I grew up in Lewes and have family here. I do not want this development. It will only bring more traffic and do nothing for the people of Lewes, let alone the South Downs National Park. Is there a petition I can sign against this proposed development? Perhaps everyone who lives inLewes should be asked what they want. This happens in Brighton for very controversial council issues. Ask the people of Lewes not LDC who represent interests outside of the town.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 2:25pm lewes wrote:
Bod, how do you know with 100% certainty that the development will 'do nothing for the local community'. Your posts are narrow minded and one sided. Perhaps you need to examine a bigger view and the fine detail of the plans for this development. The benefits are in black and white however I suppose you could bury you head in the sand and pretend they don't exist.
They do and will appreciated by everyone when completed.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 2:36pm Janet wrote:
Bods post is no more narrow minded than all yours 'Lewes'
On 16 Oct 2015 at 3:24pm Bob wrote:
Bod, serious question for you - do you agree that Lewes needs more housing? If so, where exactly do you think it should be built that WON'T have some sort of impact on traffic in town?
New homes = families = cars. At least this development has plans to offset the traffic problems by helping remodel the roads around it.
I'm not hugely pro the development, but I am pro new houses in general and I can't see anywhere else in Lewes that a significant number of new houses could be built - and on a brownfield site too! It's the last significant bit of brownfield land in the town as far as I'm aware (except maybe the council offices, but I can't see them vacating that site any time soon).
On 16 Oct 2015 at 3:26pm belladonna wrote:
So we gain 450 homes - most of which will not be 'affordable' to anyone on an average income. So locals will not be able to buy. And we lose 450 jobs as the industries there are moved off the estate - with no guarantee of a replacement workspace. We also lose and indoor skatepark and the starfish studios, both of which serve hundreds of young people in this town. Given that the LDC is also trying to close down/ redevelop St Mary's social centre we are at risk of losing vital community spaces.
Still, a huge housing estate on a known flood plain with no extra community provision (where is the primary school, doctors surgery, dentist, etc ?) will be a great place to live...... and more expensive than haywards heath or burgess hill. What's not to like ??? (Anyone know if the million pound houses on Timberyard Lane have sold yet ?)
On 16 Oct 2015 at 3:37pm north street neighbour wrote:
Just out of interest, how many of those posting here have actually looked carefully at the updated plans (October 2015) and read the supporting documents including the Employment Assessment Addendum? Like Bob I am not hugely pro the development (I live next to it) but I just don't recognise the picture painted by some. Development and change on this site is inevitable. Good points can be made about the nature of the proposals but it is really depressing to see the same ludicrous objections repeated again and again without reference to the facts or economic reality.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 3:42pm belladonna wrote:
Ive looked very carefully at the plans. One of the aspects that also concernes me is that Santons will not be the main developer but will sell off sections of the site to be developed according to the plan they get approved - but the details of the housing type, finishes, appearnace etc could end up totally different to what people think they will get. I went to one of the consultations and Santon reps confirmed this.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 3:45pm Southstreeter wrote:
@Bod too late
So buy to let is a problem , houses too expensive is a problem , surely local people can rent ? Or are you going to say the rent will be too high ! .. we'd all like to live a life we can't afford .... but we can't . I realised years ago that I have to settle for what I can afford therfore I wouldn't look at houses out of my price range , there seems to be rather to many idealists here in Lewes and in this forum who want to live in some utopian existence which is sadly beyond their means .
@Janet wow you're going to miss all those businesses . I presume as a user of all of them you must be a woman of some means and will be able to afford one of the new houses and good luck to you , I just hope the jealous posters here don't give you a hard time .
@lewes is accused of having a vested interest in the development , might I suggest many of you opposers also have a vested interest in non development ?
On 16 Oct 2015 at 6:34pm Mavis wrote:
With 450+ apparently affluent residents here we may well get a vibrant high street out of it. Leading to more 'normal' jobs for ordinary people and a better selection of 'normal' goods available.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 6:58pm Withit wrote:
Belladonna , you clearly have not read the application. It includes two doctors surgeries existing ones with ability and space to grow , plus bigger new relocated dentist - can believe the Nybisim here
On 16 Oct 2015 at 8:52pm snoopy wrote:
Pro Development people.
The Dentist exists now.
The Doctors surgeries exists now.
I can take or leave another bridge.
The flood protection is only being built to protect the new houses.
There is even a car park.
So what are Lewes residents getting for giving away 38% of OUR land coupled with the potential distress, misery and loss of livelihoods to many people who work on the site?
And yes to housing - especially for people from the Lewes district - very achievable with a well thought out plan.
On 16 Oct 2015 at 10:51pm Earl of Lewes wrote:
The other point is that this is a historic town with a unique character. An extra 450 homes might not harm Burgess Hill or Polegate, but they will make a big impression here. And why is growth inevitable?
I still find it difficult to believe that @Lewes is 100% genuine. Why are they so anxious that this much-needed housing is here, rather than Hailsham or Crawley?
On 16 Oct 2015 at 11:11pm Bod wrote:
I couldn't agree more with comments made by Belladonna, Snoopy, and Earl of Lewes. Completely ludicrous to imply that luxury homes will solve housing problems for local people. I wish these greedy property developers would stop seeing Lewes as a cash cow , of course they wouldn't if the council supported the people of Lewes and respected its environment. Why don't they build their Milton Keynes vision in an area that needs regeneration, Newhaven has plenty of brown field sites. Oh I forget, that would stop the developers making do much money...
On 16 Oct 2015 at 11:11pm Bod wrote:
I couldn't agree more with comments made by Belladonna, Snoopy, and Earl of Lewes. Completely ludicrous to imply that luxury homes will solve housing problems for local people. I wish these greedy property developers would stop seeing Lewes as a cash cow , of course they wouldn't if the council supported the people of Lewes and respected its environment. Why don't they build their Milton Keynes vision in an area that needs regeneration, Newhaven has plenty of brown field sites. Oh I forget, that would stop the developers making do much money...
On 17 Oct 2015 at 11:36am lewes wrote:
'Earl of Lewes' I am suspicious that you are so suspicious and most probably phoenix rising in disguise. Good tactic discredit and bias anyone who doesn't agree with you. Are you sure you are not a political activist? I have a suspicion that bod and Earl of lewes are he same person!
On 17 Oct 2015 at 9:13pm Zzz... wrote:
Gawd. What on earth is a 'political activist'? Do you think he's a member of the (non-existent) Militant, the Communist Party? Maybe he's got some Cuban blood? Or maybe just once he voted for someone other than the Tories? Grow up.
'Lewes'. Everything about you and your posts (that garner so many instant likes) shouts 'fake'. Go on, what interest do you have? Do you work in the estate? Are you the owner of a business that's been offered sweeteners? Are you invested? Speak up.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 10:24pm Earl of Lewes wrote:
@Lewes - Nice try, turning the tables, but if you were a long time user of this forum, you'd see that I've been posting - on and off - for at least ten years. I am not 'Bod' and have no connection with any protest group. I didn't even have particularly strong opinions about the development until you started banging on about 'progress' and the 'selfishness' of anyone who dared to question the wisdom of adding 450 houses and the impact it would have on traffic and local services. Your statements sounded more and more like press releases.
On 17 Oct 2015 at 10:27pm Withit wrote:
Zzzzz what is your personal interest ? - see it hurts doesn't it ? let people have a freedom of speech without you guys always wanting to shoot down anyone who dares speak against you - it's called democracy
On 18 Oct 2015 at 7:44am Earl of Lewes@ wrote:
@Withit - So your definition of democracy is having freedom of speech as long as nobody upsets the applecart by expressing a contrary opinion.
And what's this nonsenses about "See it hurts doesn't it?" Er, no. Most of us can handle a difference of opinion without moaning about being shot down in flames.
There's no "you guys". All I can see is some strange posts that feel like Santon press releases (always followed by loads of thumbs ups), which are then challenged by a few local people who rightly have doubts about the impact this will have.
Sorry I don't share your utopian vision. All I can see is more traffic (with long tailbacks at the Needlemakers) and a clone town development that will stick out like a sore thumb.
On 18 Oct 2015 at 9:16am Lord of Hailsham wrote:
Oi Earl - NO! we got enough extra houses already. There was an asylum with 1000 inmates, only traffic from staff and services now it's got 100's of families and 1000 cars. And more developments too. We ain't got many DFL's though.
On 18 Oct 2015 at 10:04am Earl of Lewes wrote:
@Lord of Hailsham - Apparently, if you dare to object to heavy traffic, you're against progress. Because if you accept population growth as inevitable, we'll have to keep concreting over places until there's hardly any open space left.
And to the Santon plants - I'm enjoying all the thumbs downs. Thanks to your excessive zeal, I've decided to get involved in the Phoenix Rising appeal.
On 18 Oct 2015 at 10:52am lewes wrote:
Sorry Earl of lewes apparently you have been on this forum for '10 years' and here's me being a young un with differing views to you upsetting the balance! I'll obviously be the developer as apparently everyone must bow to the long standing leader of the lewes forum ' the Earl of lewes ' sorry o wise one. I am now back in my place and will begin to worship the phoenix rising. I will not defy you again.
On 18 Oct 2015 at 1:44pm observer wrote:
wouldn't it be nice to see some proper housing down in the Phoenix instead of all those "sheds" and broken down caravans etc.
On 18 Oct 2015 at 1:51pm Metatron wrote:
Play nicely now children!