On 14 Jul 2015 at 12:22pm Dixie Normus wrote:
Who else thinks the development plans looks great for our town. I think new homes and an exciting new place to go and enjoy is just what this town needs. I also think people walking along the river opposite whether visitors to the town or residents will much prefer the view. At the moment it looks like some new age traveller site, a total eye sore to the images we are shown it will look like.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 12:38pm trooper wrote:
This "Development" has been going on for many many years and many false dawns so the best than can be said is that I for one will believe it when I see it.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 1:19pm Guidofawkes wrote:
It would be great see the current eyesore improved, but only if the local services are improved/ extended too. Doctors, dentist etc...
On 14 Jul 2015 at 2:37pm Bongo wrote:
Great idea - let's evict every one of those businesses on the industrial estate, and drive them out of Lewes.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 3:54pm Dixie Normus wrote:
Bongo I don't think that we should evict all the businesses at all. The Skate House for one is great for the community. I think some work space and homes together in one area would be ideal.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 4:57pm TDA wrote:
If all the businesses in the Phoenix area were situated in traditionally built, attractive-looking, Sussex-style flint and brick warehouses no-one would care. Similar developments exist all over the country.
Unfortunately though, lots of you want a homogenised Starbucks/Itsu/M&S place to gaze at and wander around in like zombies from Night of the Living Dead.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 5:09pm Bongo wrote:
The developers have made it very clear that there will be no industrial units on the site. There is no money in it. Only houses and shops will be built.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 5:21pm Barker wrote:
Who else thinks Dixie Normus's jolly wheeze to get everyone talking about the Phoenix Horror Show is a fantastic PR effort worthy of the enormous fee Dixie gets? Then on to the next job eh Dixie?
On 14 Jul 2015 at 6:47pm Dixie Normus wrote:
I wish Barker, it is simply my opinions on how I thibk our town can benefit from an area which currently looks like a drug fuelled hovel.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 7:29pm Belladonna wrote:
I was struck walking round Leees today how many new twee gift shops have sprung up - in Needlemakers , in market street, etc. in addition to the vintage and lifestyle stores like wickle. I've no objection to these shops but you can't sustain a whole town's economy on these types of stores. We need to retain the businesses on the Phoenix in the town to stop Lewes becoming a pretty shopping mall with no depth or diversity.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 8:20pm convenient wrote:
Yes Lewes can and does exist and survive because of its tweeness and will continue to do so . Why don't the current tenants on the phoenix hold their hands up and say " yep it's been good living and working here way cheaper than market rates , but hey our time's up so we'll move on today another run down industrial estate in another town " I doubt that very few of the squatters and caravan dwellers are local people so they should be fine about moving on . Or do they secretly enjoy the tweeness themselves , I see daily a lot of Costa and Cafe Nero cups heading down there !
On 14 Jul 2015 at 9:19pm Bongo wrote:
convenient, the majority of companies and industries on the estate are paying full rent/rates. Not sure if the ones being lived in are paying the same though - I mean the tatty looking ones facing Tesco that used to house furniture and cable makers.
On 14 Jul 2015 at 11:14pm janet wrote:
@convenient
What's wrong with people who live and work on the Phoenix drinking Costa Coffee?
On 15 Jul 2015 at 7:17am Robert Mavebury wrote:
The proposed Phoenix redevelopment scheme would bring many negatives to the town, in particular there will be loads more traffic coming into central Lewes. Hands up who wants more cars in this town! In addition it won't be an area for the people which it currently is. Many families and individuals enjoy the unique facilities Phoenix currently has to offer, these facilities would be replaced by luxury housing. Why would we want to visit and hang around a new housing estate? It certainly wouldn't feel like a space for the people anymore.
On 15 Jul 2015 at 1:55pm pedestrian wrote:
Evidence about the 'loads more traffic' please, Robert. The independent traffic surveys suggest no, or marginal, impact on numbers overall and greatly reduced circulation around the absurd one-way system currently in place. Perhaps you could tell us why you disagree? I live very close indeed to the site and am intrigued by the 'area for the people' aspect.
On 15 Jul 2015 at 2:24pm Local wrote:
The fear of change is strong in Lewes. Build more houses! Put in some of this high street shops that people like and use. Unique/odd is twee, Lewes is twee, but not everyone wants twee. Build the Phoenix the longer it takes the less likely it will happen, and this would be bad for the County Town.
On 15 Jul 2015 at 4:12pm trooper wrote:
Phoenix development. Unless this starts very very soon we shall have more and more more of the great unwashed come to join the existing dwellers and there will then be a standoff,when they have to be moved on. Any subsequent costs will fall on the local taxpayers.As I said before I will believe it when I see it and I am pretty sure it will not happen for a number of years to come,after all its been going on for at least 15 yrs, with NO progress.
On 15 Jul 2015 at 8:32pm Sussex Jim wrote:
Keep it as an industrial area, to provide more jobs in small firms.
I bought some grease at CPA last week: probably not available anywhere else in Lewes- only at Halfords in Uckfield or Newhaven for three or four times as much.
On 15 Jul 2015 at 11:28pm Sewn-up wrote:
Their are ordinary, useful, unpretentious, living businesses and charities working and doing their thing currently, - like Furniture Now for example - they will not exist in town if redevelopment goes ahead, rough edged buildings mean cheaper rents, this is GOOD! Lewes is getting like a show town, very lopsided, geared towards increasing even further house prices, increasing rents for housing, shops and businesses Do we want Lewes to end up like one of those towns that nothing practical or ordinary at non inflated prices can happen? What's wrong with some rough edges, /industrial buildings and imperfections ...why this aspiring to a vista of shiny neat affluence? It's all so unreal and pretentious.
On 16 Jul 2015 at 8:11am Fairmeadow wrote:
Lewes needs more homes, lots of them, and this is by far the best place available for them.
There are plenty of places around for the businesses that can't afford town centre rents to redeploy to (though they may not be quite so convenient for Costa and Cafe Nero. Most of them are already arranging to do so. There are even more alternative locations, just across the river in Malling Brooks and at the foirmer Tesco extension site, for those businesses that can afford town centre rents - Santon has the space ready and planning permission, but hasn't done much actual building, so I conclude that those who claim to be paying "a full rent" actually aren't, and probably can't. But there are plenty of solutions available for them too.
The bottom line is that Lewes needs the new houses. But preferably not all like the ones in Chandlers Yard, for wealthy City exiles only.
On 16 Jul 2015 at 12:52pm sjlmarmy wrote:
But they have great banter
On 18 Jul 2015 at 12:18pm Robert wrote:
Santon's luxury housing development proposal includes car parking space for 700 cars, need I say more!
On 19 Jul 2015 at 8:57am Lewes resident wrote:
Yes Robert but if you read the planning application over 300 spaces are public car spaces for the town replacing other public parking so not as you suggest