Lewes North Street Quarter: Public engagement workshops first stage report

7/29/2019 Lewes North Street Quarter: Public engagement workshops first stage report

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THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

The North Street Quarter Development

Summary of

First Stage Consultation Findings

February 2013

The views expressed in this report are the views of the authors and

do not necessarily reflect those oftheSanton Group


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Executive Summary

This report draws on opinions collected from 278 questionnaires, a further 356comments posted on word leaves and other views gathered at two consultation

workshops held in Lewes on 19th and 29th January 2013.1 It will inform the development

of the North Street Quarter in Lewes by the Santon Group.

The report cannot claim to provide a representative view of the opinions of all Lewes

residents, visitors or businesses. Public engagement workshops attract a self-selected

sample, many of who are likely to be more engaged in local issues and some who may

represent particular interests. Given this, other engagement activities, such as meetings

with specific groups and a young peoples consultation have also been, or are being,undertaken by the Santon Group.

This report has been produced independently of the Santon Group and does not

necessarily reflect the companys views. However, its opinions on the consultation and

how it will inform the next steps have been incorporated into this report. It provides a

quantitative assessment of the surveys closed questions. However, these often fail to

capture the richness of peoples views. Nearly 400 comments on word leaves and 675

comments were identified in the verbatim comments on the questionnaires (see Annexes

III and IV). Interpreting these is a much more difficult task, as it requires some judgmentas to what the comments are trying to convey and a further judgment as how best to

categorise them. Furthermore, the methodology that was used in the consultation

enabled people to provide multiple comments. This creates some difficulties with taking

a purely quantitative approach to interpreting the findings.

However, the report attempts to provide a balanced assessment of the views that were

articulated and, as such, should provide useful insights for the Santon Groups

professional teams that are responsible for the design and development of the site. With

only a small number of strong objectors, the development seems to be broadlywelcomed, as long as local residents are fully consulted along the way. There remains

some scepticism about the developers ability to deliver a scheme that reflects local

priorities and the Printworks development was cited by a number of people where this

did not happen sufficiently.

This is not the first time that residents have been consulted on the development of this

site. In 2010, the Phoenix Rising Survey, which was sponsored by the Lewes Community

Land Trust, found particularly strong support for a riverside walkway. It also found strong

1Note: 20 questionnaires were filled out on-line via the North Street Quarter website and a small number

of additional comments were provided in other formats.


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support for the site to have land with trees/wild flowers/willows; renewable energy

generation and affordable working units for small/cottage businesses. Then, residential

units were not considered to be a particularly high priority. The Joint Core Planning

Strategy, of which the North Street Quarter is part, has been developed following

extensive formal consultation between its inception in 2009 and its final approval in2012.

Development Priorities

Affordable housing seems to have emerged as an important development priority for

respondents, followed by good access to the river and wider environmental walks. The

number of comments relating to sustainability on the Word Leaves, also suggests that

green issues are important for consultation participants. There was concern that the

towns young people are increasingly unable to afford to live in Lewes and that thisneeded to be addressed. Many people accepted the need for a mix of tenures for

different age groups, but favoured social and shared equity housing, pepper-potted

throughout the development. The strong focus on housing contrasts with the findings

from the Phoenix Rising Survey findings in 2010.

The riverside walkway and other pedestrian and cycle routes were also favoured,

reflecting the findings in the 2010 survey. The river was seen as an unused asset and

many people believed that it should be opened up to the town, with a walkway along the

north side linking the development to the town centre.

There was little desire for a development that was simply a housing estate, however.

Many people thought the development also needed to provide employment

opportunities, though there was less agreement as to what these should be. There was

some concern that the creative and light industrial businesses currently on the site would

not be able to afford higher rents. Several respondents thought that they should be

incorporated into the development, whilst some others thought that they could be

housed affordably elsewhere.

Retail and visitor facilities were not given a particularly high priority, although there was

some support for a hotel and cinema on the site. Many people felt that any retail

development should complement existing retail activity and there was a preference for

independent shops over chains, particularly in the food sector.

There were mixed views on the need for cafs, bars and restaurants. These were seen as

having the potential to bring the riverside alive and to promote social interaction.

However, some respondents felt that the town already had enough cafes.


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There was support for studios and workshops for artists and designers and small

business units to cater for small, local businesses and start-ups. A number of people

suggested that vacant office space in the town indicated a lack of demand for more

offices.

Car parking seemed to divide opinion. Many people suggested that Lewes needed more

affordable parking spaces and there was a general recognition that cars owned by

people living in the development should be accommodated. However, there was

probably an overall preference in favour of pedestrians and cyclists, with support for a

network of cycle lanes and pathways connecting the development to different parts of

the town. A small number of people recommended pedestrian-only areas and/or shared

spaces for cars and pedestrians.

Traffic access was identified as a key concern for a small number of respondents, some ofwhom identified specific roads they feared would become rat-runs, if full consideration

was not given to traffic movement. The position of the bus station was also considered

important for local businesses and to ensure effective and efficient traffic flows in and

around the town.

The development provided an opportunity to create a new meeting place for the town,

provided by the riverside and community facilities that could include a cinema, open

performance space, art gallery and/or activities for young people, such as a skatepark.

The environmental credentials of the development were also highlighted, reflecting

Lewess position in the South Downs National Park and its status as a Transition Town.

Some people felt that the development could become an exemplar of modern,

sustainable construction techniques, incorporating renewable energy, roof gardens,

trees, green spaces and places for people to grow local food on allotments or

community gardens.

Defending against possibilities of further flood risk was a high priority, although some

respondents suggested that flood resilience should be considered as a moreappropriate approach.

Design Priorities

Respondents tended to want the development to reflect the character of the town, which

they saw as historic and cultural, socially and environmentally aware and small and

quirky. This did not seem to be about looking backwards. Instead it was about taking a

forward-looking approach that was sensitive to the towns existing architecture and

character.


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There seemed to be some fear that modern could mean bland, large and over-powering.

What seems to be wanted in Lewes is bold design; a mix of building styles with sufficient

space between them; and small-scale, low-rise developments that reflect the towns

individuality, and integrates well with the rest of Lewes.

Respondents see Lewes as different, quirky, creative and independent and they are likely

to want the design for the development to reflect these characteristics.

Key Issues

1. The interest in affordable housing is based on an understanding that this will

benefit local people and not people from outside. There may be an expectation

that assurances can be given to this effect and some indication of the quantum of

affordable housing that will be provided.

2. The consultation process must continue to engage Lewes residents to allay

specific concerns, to address a degree of scepticism that seems to exist about

developments in general, and to engage a wider range of people across the town.

3. There seems to be a fairly strong pro-independent/anti-corporate feeling amongst

many respondents. This may need further exploration to establish a balance that

is likely to be acceptable and to determine what type of chains and retail mix

would be preferable, given towns current retail offer.

4. Transport access issues during the development stage and after its completion are

likely to remain high on the agenda of local people, particularly those who live in

close proximity to the site.

5. There is concern about what will happen to the arts/creative and light industrial

businesses that are currently operating on the site, and solutions to their future

operation will need to be developed.

6. Green spaces and environmental sustainability are likely to remain important

components of the development for a number of people in the town.

7. The scale and height of buildings are important to many people and there seems

to be a preference for a mix of styles, which needs to be considered carefully in

the design phase.

Next Steps


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These findings from the workshops will be used to help inform thinking on the

development and design options for the North Street Quarter. The Santon Group

recognises the need to continue to engage with Lewes residents and businesses through

a variety of channels. This will include meetings with specific interest groups, further

work to engage younger people, and maintaining on-going dialogue throughestablished structures.

Design options will be produced over the next few months and there will be a further

round of public consultation to obtain views on these during Summer 2013, followed by

a final consultation on more detailed development proposals, leading up to the

submission of a full planning application in Autumn 2013.

The NSQ website (www.northstreetqtr.co.uk) will be used more extensively over the

period to provide updates and information on issues relating to the development of thesite.


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Contents

Executive Summary 2

1. Introduction 8

2. The Consultation Approach 9

2.1 The Day Time and Evening Workshops 9

2.2 Interpreting this Report 11

2.3 The Consultation 13

2.4 The North Street Quarter Website 142.5 The Priory School Community Engagement Day 14

2.6 The Lewes Town Partnership Workshop 15

2.7 The Joint Core Strategy Proposed Submission (Part 1) 15

2.8 The Phoenix Rising Survey (2010) Sponsored by the Lewes

Community Land Trust

16

3. Development Priorities 17

3.1 Housing 183.2 The River 19

3.3 Retail, Commercial and Hospitality 20

3.4 Transport, Parking and Access 22

3.5 Community and Leisure 23

3.6 Environmental Sustainability 24

4. Design Priorities 25

5. Conclusions 27

Annex I Weighted Scores 31

Annex II Completed Questionnaire Charts and Tables 32

Annex III Quantitative Summary of Word Leaf Comments 35

Annex IV Quantitative Summary of Verbatim Comments 39


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1. Introduction

This report provides an analysis of the first stage of community consultation that will be

used to inform the development proposals for the North Street Quarter site in Lewes,

East Sussex.

The Santon Group, which owns the site, is keen to ensure that, within regulatory

constraints, the development proposals reflect the needs and aspirations of Lewes

residents, businesses and visitors. A programme of pre-planning application

consultation events and activities, covering three distinct stages, has been planned to

reflect this:

Stage 1: Consultation on local priorities to inform initial design proposals

Stage 2: Consultation to test initial development design proposals

Stage 3: Consultation to refine detailed development design proposals.

The pre-planning consultation phase will run during the first three quarters of 2013, with

an expectation that a full planning application will be submitted before the end of the

year.

The Democratic Society is acting as an independent facilitator, leading on the design and

delivery of the consultation, with a key role in ensuring that local people are able to

contribute meaningfully to the debate, design and development of the proposals.

The Santon Group and representatives of the Democratic Society also meet regularly

with a North Street Quarter Sounding Group that includes representatives from:

Friends of Lewes;

Lewes Community Land Trust;

Lewes Town Partnership; and

Lewes Chamber of Commerce.


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The objectives of this group are to represent the views of other stakeholders and to

provide feedback to them on progress of the development proposals; and to review

consultation approaches so that they best engage the full range of local residents and

businesses.

A Cross-Party Working Group of elected members of Lewes District Council also meets

regularly to review progress and to oversee the progress of the development proposals.

The remainder of this report is structured as follows:

Section 2 sets out the approach that has been taken to the consultation during this first

stage and includes a short review of the Phoenix Rising consultation survey findings that

were published in 2010.

Section 3 provides an assessment of development priorities identified by workshop

participants.

Section 4 considers the design priorities identified by workshop participants.

Section 5 provides conclusions and recommendations for the Santon Group to consider.

2. The Consultation Approach

The Santon Group sees a meaningful consultation and engagement process as

important to the success of the development. This is both in commercial terms and in

ensuring that its design reflects local needs and aspirations, where possible.

The main activities during the first stage of the consultation centred mainly around the

following activities:

A Daytime Workshop;

An Evening Workshop;

Priory School Engagement ; and

The North Street Quarter website (www.northstreetqtr.co.uk)

2.1 Daytime and Evening Workshops

The Daytime Workshop was held between 0900-1500 on Saturday 19th January 2013 at

Lewes Town Hall and the Evening Workshop was held between 1500-2000 on Tuesday29th January 2013 at Southover Grange.


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At these workshops, residents and businesses were able to:

Review exhibition panels, which focused on different elements of the

development, including housing, environment, heritage and the cultural, socialand community landscape;

Discuss their hopes and concerns with architects, transport planners,

environmental professionals and other experts on the Santon Group project team;

Indicate their priorities on Word Leaves and sticking these to Word Trees; and

Complete short questionnaires, including verbatim comments, that asked them to

indicate their design and development priorities.

A model of the site, set within its Lewes context, was also displayed at the workshops.

This allowed attendees to gain a sense of the scale of the development site and itssignificance to the town as a whole.

The workshops were publicised using a variety of methods, including:

Flyers and posters distributed around the town and sent to interested parties,

including schools;

Flyers and adverts in the local press

A radio interview by a representative from the Santon Group, Clive Wilding

An invitation to all local elected representatives Emails to key stakeholders, such as local schools and the local police commander

with a request to publicise the events through their networks.

Through the Sounding Group and its networks; and

Advertising boards outside the venues during both events.

Information about the events was also posted onto a range of websites, including those

of the North Street Quarter, The Democratic Society, the Lewes Community Land Trust

and the Lewes Town Partnership

A total of 632 people attended the two workshops and 278 questionnaires were

completed (including 20 that were completed on-line). All the questionnaires included

verbatim, or open comments, many of which were quite extensive.2 In addition 358

Word Leaf comments were left on the Word Trees.

The processing of the questionnaires was carried out by the Democratic Society and the

full comments can be viewed on Democratic Society website (www.demsoc.org).

2A further 8 questionnaires were received after the event and there were a small number of additional

comments were received by email or in other formats that have informed the qualitative interpretation of

the feedback in this report.


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Figure I: Number of Workshop Attendees and Completed Questionnaires

Attendees Completed

QuestionnairesWorkshop 1 (19 January 2013) 416 179

Workshop 2 (29 January 2013) 216 79

On-Line n/a 20

Total 632 278

No data was collected on the demographic profile of people who attended the two

workshops. However, some demographic data was collected from people who

completed survey questionnaires which showed:

54% were female;

72% were aged 16-64 years and 28% 65+ years;

89% lived in Lewes; and

68% of those in work were employed in Lewes.

A higher proportion of questionnaires were completed by females at the Evening

Workshop (57%) than at the Daytime Workshop (53%), but overall, there was little

difference between the profile of people who completed questionnaires at the two

workshops. However, only one person under the age of 16 years completed aquestionnaire.

The Santon Group was pleased with the two events. The company felt that the number

of people who gave up their time was high, particularly given the unfavourable weather

conditions. There was some concern that the event did not manage to engage younger

people, but the Santon Group expects to do this using other methods.

The wide range of constructive comments and the evident interest in the development

both from individuals and from well organised interest groups, was appreciated by theSanton Group. The views that have been expressed will be used to inform the next stage

of the design process.

2.2 Interpreting this Report

This report has been produced independently of the Santon Group and it does not

necessarily reflect its views. It draws on the completed questionnaires, the word leavesand other contributions that were provided at the workshops and on-line.


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Analysing quantitative data is relatively straight forward. Weighted scores3 have been

used to reflect first, second and third priorities in survey questions where respondents

were are asked to indicate preferences from a range of options.

However, this fails to capture the range and richness of peoples views. This was done

through comments on word leaves and verbatim comments on the questionnaire.

There were 399 separate comments on the Word Leaves and 675 in the verbatim

comments on the 278 questionnaires were identified.

Interpreting qualitative data can be a rather more complex. Firstly, some judgement is

required about what the comments are trying to convey. Secondly, these comments then

need to be classified in some way. In this case, the categories in no order of priority that

have been used are:

Consultation;

Traffic, parking and access;

Commercial and business;

Retail and hospitality

The river;

Housing;

Sustainability;

Community and leisure; and Design priorities.

The findings from the consultation cannot represent the views of all Lewes businesses

and residents precisely. They are an interpretation of the opinions and preferences of

people who attended the two events and who contributed their views on-line.

Every effort was made to engage with as wide a section of the Lewes population as

possible. However workshops, such as those held as part of this consultation, tend to

appeal to people who are already engaged and informed, some of whom may havespecial interests. Equally, paper-based and on-line questionnaires are more likely to be

completed by people with higher-level written communication skills. This means that it is

important to capture peoples views in other ways, including through meetings with

specific groups and workshops that enable people to articulate their views verbally.

Furthermore, the methodology that was chosen for the consultation meant that there was

no limit to the number of comments that each person could make. Taking a purely

3See ANNEX I: Weighted Scores for a full explanation


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The Santon Group is employing a number of other methods to gather local opinion,

including meetings with specific interest groups; using on-line consultation tools; and

engaging young people through school-based and other activities.

2.4 The North Street Quarter Website

A dedicated North Street Quarter website (www.northstreetqtr.co.uk) has been

launched. This provides an historical background to the site; news and events relating to

the site (including details of the Workshops) and information about other Santon Group

developments. It will also include details of emerging plans as they develop.

Visitors to the site were also able to complete the survey questionnaire that was available

at the Workshops.

2.5 The Priory School Community Engagement

On 23rd November, Santon Group, working with RH Partnership, the Democratic Society,

Lewes District Council and Priory School ran a Childrens Takeover Day workshop. This is

national programme run by the Childrens Commissioner to get young people involved

in decision-making. Year 10 Business Studies students went on a tour of the North Street

Quarter, and discussed ideas for the site.

This was then followed up with a stall at Priory Schools Community Engagement Day onWednesday 19 December 2012, aimed at capturing young peoples views on the future

of the site.

All students in the school visited the exhibition in year groups. They were given outline

plans for the site; were asked to complete a questionnaire to indicate their development

priorities, and given the option to write ideas or comments on post it notes.

A total of 55 questionnaires were completed. There was strong support for young

peoples involvement (93%), with getting involved in the public design workshops beingthe most favoured approach.

Providing more leisure activities (59 mentions) was the most common priority amongst

young people, with particular mentions of a skatepark; watersports and riverside

activities. Other priorities with more than 20 mentions were a cinema; restaurants/cafs;

and shopping with local independent shops and markets.

There was not a clear cut preference for style of the development, but more young

people (9) preferred a modern or a not modern/not traditional style than preferred anhistoric/traditional style for the development.


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2.6 The Lewes Town Partnership Workshop

The Lewes Town Partnership held a workshop on the NSQ development on Thursday

17th January 2013. This was not part of the Santon Groups consultation process.However, the issues and concerns that were raised at this event are useful to feed into

the consultation feedback on the development of the site.

Residents attending the workshop were divided into four groups, each being asked to

identify their main priorities, wants and concerns for the site. The main priorities

identified were affordable housing; a variety of well integrated housing units to provide

for the elderly, families and singles; a site that positively enhances the town; and

riverside recreation.

Making better use of the river; integrating the site to the rest of the town; and providing

good affordable housing were identified as common wants. Flood defences, the impact

and potential lack of demand for new retail and office space; and the loss of low cost

workspace currently on the site were amongst the concerns identified at the workshop.

2.7 The Joint Core Strategy Proposed Submission (Part 1)

In January 2013 Lewes District Council and the South Downs National Park Authority

published their Part 1 Joint Core Strategy (JCS) Proposed Submission. It is scheduled to

be adopted in Autumn 2013 and will guide development within the District up until

2030.

The JCS has been informed by on-going engagement with the public and key

organisations4 since the publication of the Issues and Emerging Topic Papers in May

2010. In parallel with the consultation on the Topic Papers, Lewes District Council held

seven drop-in sessions and two discussion forums in various venues across the district to

obtain views on the content of the Topic Papers and to understand the issues people felt

a plan for the district should address.

The Emerging Core Strategy was published for consultation in September 2011 for a

period of 12 weeks. This set out the different policy options that were being considered

in formulating the Core Strategy. Consultees were invited to submit comments on all

options under consideration and suggest alternatives.

4Part 1 Joint Core Strategy Proposed Submission. Lewes District Council and the South Downs National

Park Authority January 2013


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The JCS suggests that in excess of 400 households in Lewes are in need of affordable

housing, but opportunities for outward expansion are extremely limited.

The North Street Quarter and the adjacent Eastgate area is identified as the main current

opportunity for redevelopment in the town5

. Details of the scope of Spatial Policy 3,which relates to this site can be found on pages 49-53.

2.8 The Phoenix Rising Survey (2010)- Sponsored by Lewes

Community Land Trust

This is not the first time that Lewes residents have been asked for their views of what they

would like to see developed at the North Street Quarter. In June 2010, a report6 was

produced that provided feedback on local peoples views to inform a previousdevelopment proposal at the site.

This report was based 141 comments on post-it notes, 479 completed questionnaires

and a further 101 unstructured comments. The Phoenix Rising consultation report used

an approval rating scoring system and found that there was most support for a Riverside

Walkway (80%).

Other elements that achieved more than 50% approval rating were Some Land For

Trees/Wildflower/Willows (68%), Renewable Energy Generation from TidalFlow/Solar/Other (61%); Affordable Working Units for Small/Cottage Businesses (60%),

Protecting Historic Buildings (58%), Retaining Existing Businesses (52%), and Open

Public Spaces/Parks (52%). There was below a 20% approval rating for a Sports Facility

(-4%), Large Creative Spaces Available for Bonfire Societies (7%); a Self Build Housing

Co-operative (16%), or a Thomas Paine Square (17%).

The report suggested that, at the time, the site was not perceived as best used primarily

for residential development (although there was support for affordable housing). The

retention of existing businesses was seen as a key element in the mix, althoughrespondents tended to think that these businesses should be financially viable. Other

elements highlighted in the report included: support for a small scale cinema; resources

and activities for young people; and a communal square.

5Details of Spatial Policy 3, which related so this site can be found on pages 49-53 of the Joint Core

Strategy, which is available on the Lewes District Council website (www.lewes.gov.uk)6

Audley A. Phoenix Rising Summary Report on Findings from the Phoenix Rising Survey and Exhibitions

for the Lewes Community Land Trust. June 2010


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3. Development Priorities

With only a small number of strongly articulated exceptions, there was general support

for the development of the North Street Quarter area, but concerns that anydevelopment should reflect the needs and aspirations of the towns residents.

Survey respondents were asked to rank their three most important priorities for what

should be developed on the site from a list of ten options. For the analysis, these were

then given weighted scores (First Priority 3; Second Priority 2, and Third Priority 1). The

findings are shown in Figure II, below.

Figure II: Development Priorities: Weighted Scores

The two most important priorities cited by respondents were:

Affordable housing (Weighted Score: 362); and

Good access to the river (319).

Other development priorities that were considered important included:

More employment opportunities (199);

Workspace for artists and designers (190); and

More community facilities (140).

There was less support for priorities relating to retail, leisure and the visitor economy.

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

IMPROVED VISITOR FACILITIES

HOTELS TO BOOST TOURISM

WIDER CHOICE OF SHOPPING

WIDER CHOICE OF LEISUER OPPORTUNITIES IN

THE EVENING

MORE ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE

MORE COMMUNITY FACILITIES

WORKSPACE FOR ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS

MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

GOOD ACCESS TO THE RIVER AND WIDER

ENVIRONMENTAL WALKS

MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING


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3.1 Housing

Affordable housing is vitally important in making the development widely accessible,

whether this is social housing, key worker housing, both rented and market accessible

Affordable housing seemed to emerge as a particularly important issue for many

respondents. This contrasts somewhat with findings from the 2010 consultation survey.

The importance of affordable housing was also reflected in the verbatim comments and

in those that were left on the Word Leaves. Several respondents felt that Lewes was

becoming inaccessible to the towns younger people and that houses should be built for

local people, rather than be used as second homes or for newcomers to Lewes.

I find it very sad that a lot of youngsters who have grown up in Lewes and come fromLewes families are having to move out of the town because they cannot afford to live here,

thereby diluting the character of the town. Affordable housing, with priority given to

existing residents of the town.

If possible provide housing that younger people and families could buy or rent so that

Lewes does not become solely a place for well-off and mature inhabitants

There was a general recognition of a need for a mix of housing types, particularly for

young people and families, and for older people looking to downsize, but the emphasis

should, where possible be on affordability, rather than on larger, expensive homes.

Survey respondents were asked to indicate the type of housing that the development

should prioritise. (See Figure III).

Figure III: Housing Priorities Weighted Scores

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

HOUSING TO RENT AT MARKET VALUE

FAMILY HOUSE (3 BED)

WARDEN ASSISTED FOR OLDER PEOPLE

FLAT/APARTMENTS (1/2 BEDS)

SHARED EQUITY HOUSING

SOCIAL RENTED


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Social rented housing (Weighted Score: 397) was identified as the most important

priority, followed by Shared Equity Housing (293); and Flats/Apartments (1/2 bedroom)

(216). Some comments on the questionnaire and the Word Leaves mentioned the

importance of pepper-potting social housing across the development. Other ideas

included providing flexible buildings that enabled people to remain in the same placeor on the same development at different stages of their lives.

A small number of respondents expressed concerns about building houses on a flood

plain and were anxious that the scale of housing would add pressure to the towns

transport and community infrastructure.

Whatever the scale and mix of housing that is eventually developed, several respondents

wanted to avoid a housing estate feel to the site, with what one respondent described

as an identikit development.

3.2 The River

Riverside Walkway and Footbridge

A riverside walk, on the Phoenix side of the river would be a huge improvement, and also

improved links to other walking routes through and around the town

The potential of opening up the river so that it becomes a key feature of the town wasseen as a priority for a many respondents. Several also suggested that the development

could extend the network of paths and cycle lanes and improve connectivity to other

parts of the town. The importance of the river to the development also reflects the

findings from the 2010 survey.

A riverside walkway that stretches to Wileys Bridge is widely supported and some

respondents felt that this could include seating, cafes, bars and restaurants.

I want to see a walkway beside the river with cafes and places to sit. We have a river lets use it.

The key point is that the river is widely seen as an unused asset for the town and the NSQ

development provides an opportunity to open it up to the public. With a small number

of exceptions, there was support for an additional footbridge over the river that could

include a cycle path and would additional pedestrian routes around the town.


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Flood Risks

Many excellent plans and ideas. BUT flooding remains a major risk in the future at some

unpredictable time

The river is also identified as one of the towns key threats, with flood risks identified as a

major concern for several respondents. A small number of people questioned the

wisdom of building housing on the site at all, given these risks. However, for most

people who commented on this issue, the question was how best to manage the flood

risks, rather than to oppose the development.

There was some resistance to building flood defences. Instead, some respondents

preferred to focus on soft flood prevention or flood resilience. These people felt that

the development should be designed in recognition that there will be some flooding andthat there could be floodable public areas.

3.3 Retail, Commercial and Hospitality

We need local business that can provide long-term employment to keep the young

people in the town. This will promote growth of the townWe do not want Lewes to be

full of people who commute to work

Providing employment opportunities was seen as a high priority for the development,but it was less clear as to what these employment opportunities should be. Shopping,

leisure and the visitor economy were not seen as particularly high priorities overall, and

there was uncertainty amongst some respondents about the need for additional office

space. Many respondents expressed concern about the potential loss of existing

creative and light industrial business activity on the site and there tended to be more

support for small scale start up office space than for trying to attract large corporate

enterprises.

Retail and Hospitality

I hope that it (the development) will enhance the towns character as a place for

independent shops

Overall, retail was not considered to be a major priority for the development. A small

number of survey respondents questioned the need for any more shops, and many of

those that saw a need were keen to ensure that any new provision did not upset the retail

ecology of the town.


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However, respondents were asked on the questionnaire to indicate their preferred type

of retail, based on four options (See Figure IV):

Food shopping independent;

Non-food shopping independent; Food shopping supermarket; and

Non-food shopping chain.

Figure IV: Retail Preferences (% Responses)

There was very strong support for independent shops (87%) and only small support

(13%) for chains or supermarkets. These views were also expressed pretty clearly in the

verbatim comments, although less so on the Word Leaves. Several respondents

explicitly stated that they would prefer not to see any or too many national chains orsupermarkets and that the development should aim to promote independent retail,

which is seen as an important part of the towns character.

However, a small number of respondents noted that Lewes lacked shops that sold

practical items that people needed for their everyday living and where there was

support for national chains, this tended to be for non-food retail outlets. A small number

of respondents also suggested that the site could include a covered market.

Although overall, facilities for visitors were not considered to be a high priority, verbatimcomments suggested that there was some support for a hotel on the site, with a general

preference for small-scale, boutique style hotel accommodation.

Cafes, restaurants and bars seemed to divide opinion. Some respondents felt that there

were already plenty of these in Lewes, but others believed that they could become a key

feature of a riverside or public meeting area. Again, there tended to be preference for

independents over chains, where possible.

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

FOOD SHOPPING - SUPERMARKET

NON FOOD SHOPPING - CHAIN

NON FOOD SHOPPING - INDEPENDENT

FOOD SHOPPING - INDEPENDENT


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Other Commercial Activity

AFFORDABLE small workshops and studios are very badly needed so small enterprises

are not forced to leave the town

There was more support for providing affordable and flexible space for small businesses

on the site than for attempting to accommodate larger, corporate businesses.

Many respondents noted that there was already a thriving creative/artistic and light

industrial business community on the site, and there was some concern that many of

these would be priced out of the area by the development. Several respondents felt that

these businesses should be accommodated as part of the development. Others felt that

they could be affordably relocated elsewhere in the town.

Some people suggested that the whole town benefited from the cultural capital

generated by the existing creative activity on the site and did not want this to be lost.

There was support for studios and workshops for artists and designers and also for

affordable workshops for artisans and other light industrial businesses. Some people

commented positively on the scruffiness of the area, and had concerns about it

becoming too sanitised.

Few people saw the need for significant additional office space, with some noting that

there were already empty offices in the town. Instead, there was more support small,flexible units for start-ups and space to accommodate small, local businesses.

3.4 Transport, Parking and Access

Acknowledge that we own cars and need to park, but that better cycling facilities would

be great

There were no direct questions on the questionnaire about transport access to and from

the site. However, respondents were asked state how important a Secure Car Park and20 mph Town Centre Streets were to the development.

Of the options that were provided a Secure Car Park was considered the least

important, although it may not have been entirely clear what the term meant. However,

there was more support for 20mph Town Centre Streets and the verbatim comments

and word leaves suggested that there were a number of transport, travel and access

issues that needed to be considered.

Parking seemed to divide opinion. Overall, comments suggested that there wasprobably a preference for prioritising pedestrians and cyclists over cars in the


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development. Although there were people who favoured a car free zone, several

people recognised that cars needed to be catered for, and a number of people felt that

Lewes currently lacked affordable or free car parking space in Lewes.

Extending the networks of cycle routes and pathways to integrate the development intothe rest of the town was generally favoured and there was some support for shared

spaces for cars and pedestrians. Siting the bus station so that it connects people to the

town and improves traffic movement in and around it, was also seen by some people as

important.

Access to and from the site is potentially a significant issue and one that is likely to be of

particular concern to residents living close to the development. Some respondents

raised concerns that the development would add to traffic along secondary access

points. Brook Street, Abinger Place Sun Street, Lancaster Street and St Johns Hill were allcited as roads that could become rat runs. Suggestions to prevent this included

building new access roads and making Lancaster Street a one-way street.

3.5 Community and Leisure

Space for community activity for all ages

Overall, providing more community facilities was seen to be a reasonably important

priority. Although a public square was not considered to be amongst the most importantdesign priorities for the site, verbatim comments and word leaves suggested that there

was a good level of support for developing the site in a way that built social capital and

encouraged social interaction.

Opening up the river was seen as one way of doing this; and ensuring that the

development had space between buildings and well designed green and open spaces

was also favoured.

The consultation with young people identified a preference for a skatepark and therewas some support for providing activities for young people on the word leaves and in

the verbatim comments.

A number of people suggested that Lewess leisure offer did not currently include a

cinema and some favoured a flexible performance space and/or art gallery so that the

development could maintain and reflect the towns creativity and cultural identity.

A small number of respondents highlighted the need to ensure that there was sufficient

health and education provision for new residents on the site.


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3.6 Environmental Sustainability

This is a perfect opportunity for an integrated development that meets the highest

environmental standards in an innovative way by fully acknowledging the sites physical

and historical context and factoring in adaptation to (and mitigation of) climate change

With the exception of references to flood risks there were no questions that relateddirectly to environmental sustainability in the questionnaire. Yet, respondents quite

strongly identified Lewes as a socially liberal and environmentally aware town. Analysis

of the Phoenix Rising survey also suggested that renewable energy and green spaces

were high priorities in 2010.

It is, perhaps, not surprising then that there were more Word Leaves comments relating

to sustainability than to anything else, reflecting the towns green focus. These included

ensuring that the buildings were built to high environmental standards; planting trees

and providing green spaces; incorporating roof gardens; making provision for foodgrowing, through allotments and community gardens; and providing renewable energy

facilities.

For some respondents, Lewes Transition Town status means that there is an opportunity

for the development to be genuinely forward-thinking in terms of it environmental and

community credentials.


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4. Design Priorities

Ensure architects understand the culture and types of buildings already in Lewes

Questionnaire respondents were asked to choose the characteristics that best reflected

Lewes so that, where possible, the development could reflect what people considered to

be the towns character. (see Figure V).

Figure V: Design Priorities Weighted Scores

Based on the weighted scoring system (see Annex I), two descriptions seemed to betterreflect Lewes than the other five. These were:

A town with an historic and cultural heritage that inspires artists and designers

(Weighted Score: 320); and

Socially liberal and environmentally aware (310).

The town was also considered to be Quirky and Full of Surprises and to be (219) An

Important Commercial Centre in the Heart of a Rural Location (185).

The developers were challenged to be bold not bland and overall, most people

seemed to want the development to be both integrated with the town and to reflect and

respect its current architecture and character.

This is not about living in the past indeed, there were several comments warning

against pastiche designs. There seemed to be a preference for a mix of styles that are

modern and individual in their outlook, but also respect the areas historical, industrial

context.

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

A TOWN WITH AN HISTORIC AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

THAT INSPIRES ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS

SOCIALLY LIBERAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE

QUIRKY AND FULL OF SURPRISES

AN IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL CENTRE IN THE HEART

OF A RURAL LOCATION

SMALL AND YOU CAN WALK AROUND IT EASILY

FORWARD-LOOKING AND EMBRACES MODERNITY

A GREAT PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES


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There was some fear of a bland, uniform development, out of scale with the rest of the

town and which could be found in anywhere else in the country. Many people expressed

a preference for small scale, low-rise buildings, with sufficient space between them and

open/green spaces, walkways and cycle lanes that incorporate the river. Using high

quality building materials was also considered important.

Respondent were also asked to choose their Design Priorities based on seven options

(See Figure VI).

Figure VI: Design Priorities Weighted Scores

Most of Design Priority issues have been covered elsewhere in this report, but they re-

affirm the importance that is attached to integrating the development into the town,

opening up the river on both sides and ensuring that flood risks are managed at the site.

-50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300

INCLUDE A SECURE PUBLIC CAR PARK

INLCUDE A PUBLIC SQUARE

MAKE CAUSEWAY MORE PEDESTRAIN FRIENDLY

20 MPH TOWN CENTRE STREETS

BOLSTER AND EXTEND FLOOD DEFENCES

A RIVERSIDE WALKWAY WITH ACCESS TO BOTHRIVER BANKS

INTEGRATION WITH TOWN CENTRE BY IMPROVED

PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES


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There seems to be a strong focus on independence, individuality and creating a

development that makes good use of the river, green spaces, cycle lanes and walkways,

and is connected to other parts of the town. There appears to be some fear of a bland

development, where buildings are either too large and over-powering, or too uniform in

their design.

Respondents had no thirst for a housing estate style development that was not

integrated into the town. Employment is identified as important, but it does not always

seem clear what this should be. In keeping with the focus on individuality and scale,

there appears to be much more support for independent shops, cafes and local small

businesses than large chains and corporates.

Creative businesses on the site are seen by many to make an important contribution to

the town as a whole. There is some concern that both these and the light industrialbusinesses should either be accommodated in the new development or, at least, found

affordable accommodation elsewhere. There is also support for affordable business

units for local start up businesses. Not everything can be provided at sub-market prices

and it may be challenging to find the right balance commercial and residential

affordability on the site.

People seem to want the new development to be designed to encourage people to

meet and to build social capital. The riverside walk could be a key part of this, but there

is also some support for a cinema, performance space and art gallery and activities foryoung people. Although this is not seen as a development primarily for visitors, there is

also some support for a hotel on the site, but again, scale and style may be important.

Transport access, managing flood risks and environmental sustainability are likely to

remain important issues as the development plans emerge. Residents close to the site

have specific concerns about increased traffic volumes and rat runs near to where they

live; there are differences of opinion as how best to address flood risks; and as a

Transition Town, many residents are likely to continue to focus on the environmental

sustainability elements of the development.

Overall, respondents tended to favour a scheme that encourages walking and cycling

over car use, but Lewes was seen by a number of people to lack affordable parking

space, whilst the location of the bus station was also seen as an important consideration.

Key Issues to Address

The key issues for the Santon Group to consider in moving the project forward are:


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1. The interest in affordable housing is based on an understanding that this will

benefit local people and not people from outside. There may be an expectation

that assurances can be given to this effect and some indication of the quantum of

affordable housing that will be provided.

2. The consultation process must continue to engage Lewes residents to allay

specific concerns, to address a degree of scepticism that seems to exist about

developments in general, and to engage a wider range of people across the town.

3. There seems to be a fairly strong pro-independent/anti-corporate feeling amongst

many respondents. This may need further exploration to establish a balance that

is likely to be acceptable and to determine what type of chains and retail mix

would be preferable, given towns current retail offer.

4. Transport access issues during the development stage and after its completion are

likely to remain high on the agenda of local people, particularly those who live in

close proximity to the site.

5. There is concern about what will happen to the arts/creative and light industrial

businesses that are currently operating on the site, and solutions to their future

operation will need to be developed.

6. Green spaces and environmental sustainability are likely to remain importantcomponents of the development for a number of people in the town.

7. The scale and height of buildings are important to many people and there seems

to be a preference for a mix of styles, which needs to be considered carefully in

the design phase.

Next Steps

These findings from the workshops will be used to help inform thinking on thedevelopment and design options for the North Street Quarter. The Santon Group

recognises the need to continue to engage with Lewes residents and businesses through

a variety of channels. This will include meetings with specific interest groups, further

work to engage younger people, and maintaining on-going dialogue through

established structures.

Design options will be produced over the next few months and there will be a further

round of public consultation to obtain views on these during Summer 2013, followed by

a final consultation on more detailed development proposals, leading up to the

submission of a full planning application in Autumn 2013.


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Annex I

Weighted Scores

In Questions 1a, 1b and 3 respondents were asked to indicate their top three priorities

from a range of options. The weighted scores that are referred to in this report and

associated charts have been developed as follows:

A = Priority 1 Responses x 3

B = Priority 2 Responses x 2

C = Priority 3 Responses x 1

WEIGHTED SCORE = A+B+C

In Question 2, respondents were asked to rate their Design Priorities on a five point

scale, where 1 is very important and 5 is not at all important. The weighted scores that

are referred to in this report and associated charts have been developed as follows:

A = 1 Very Important = 2

B = 2 = 1

C = 3 = 0D = 4 = -1

E = 5 Not at all important = -2

WEIGHTED SCORE = A+B+C+D+E


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B: SURVEY RESPONSES

B1: LEWES CHARACTERISTICS WEIGHTED SCORES

B2: DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES WEIGHTED SCORES

B3: RETAIL PRIORITIES

n=212

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

A TOWN WITH AN HISTORIC AND CULTURAL

HERITAGE THAT INSPIRES ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS

SOCIALLY LIBERAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY

AWARE

QUIRKY AND FULL OF SURPRISES

AN IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL CENTRE IN THE

HEART OF A RURAL LOCATION

SMALL AND YOU CAN WALK AROUND IT EASILY

FORWARD-LOOKING AND EMBRACES MODERNITY

A GREAT PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

IMPROVED VISITOR FACILITIES

HOTELS TO BOOST TOURISM

WIDER CHOICE OF SHOPPING

WIDER CHOICE OF LEISUER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE EVENING

MORE ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE

MORE COMMUNITY FACILITIES

WORKSPACE FOR ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS

MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

GOOD ACCESS TO THE RIVER AND WIDER ENVIRONMENTAL WALKS

MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

FOOD SHOPPING - SUPERMARKET

NON FOOD SHOPPING - CHAIN

NON FOOD SHOPPING - INDEPENDENT

FOOD SHOPPING - INDEPENDENT


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B4: DESIGN PRIORITIES WEIGHTED SCORE

B5: HOUSING PRIORITIES WEIGHTED SCORES

-50 0 50 100 150 200 250 300

INCLUDE A SECURE PUBLIC CAR PARK

INLCUDE A PUBLIC SQUARE

MAKE CAUSEWAY MORE PEDESTRAIN FRIENDLY

20 MPH TOWN CENTRE STREETS

BOLSTER AND EXTEND FLOOD DEFENCES

A RIVERSIDE WALKWAY WITH ACCESS TO BOTH

RIVER BANKS

INTEGRATION WITH TOWN CENTRE BY IMPROVED

PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES

0 100 200 300 400 500

STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

HOUSING TO RENT AT MARKET VALUE

FAMILY HOUSE (3 BED)

WARDEN ASSISTED FOR OLDER PEOPLE

FLAT/APARTMENTS (1/2 BEDS)

SHARED EQUITY HOUSING

SOCIAL RENTED


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- Shouldnt build houses in a flood area 1

Leisure 21

- Arts centre/gallery/performance area 11

- Skatepark 5- Boat hire/canoes 1

- Youth club 1

- Cinema 1

- Internet gaming 1

- No private galleries 1

Consultation 21

- General comments 6

- Printworks 6- Santons other work 4

- Children/young people 3

- Consultation on Section 106 1

- Meaning of Truly sustainable development 1

Retail/Hospitality 20

- No or limited supermarkets/chains 6

- Complement existing retail 2

- Market 2

- No cafes 2

- Useful shops 2

- Wholefood shop 1

- Bookshop 1

- Hotel 1

- Food outlets 1

- No more shops 1

- Independent 1

Open Spaces 9


- Meeting place 3

- Young people 2

Community 9

- Education 5

- General comments 3- Health centre 1


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Sustainability 87

- Greenspace/gardens/trees 24


- Renewable energy 13- Green roofs (including beehives) 11

- Food growing/city farm/allotments 10

- Green buildings 4

- Clean up land pollution 1

Transport/Access 48

- Pedestrians/cyclists/walkways/cycle paths (except riverside) 13

- Reduced car/car free 9

- Bus station/better public transport 6- Footbridge 5

- Connections with Ringmer (including Park & Ride) 4

- Road access concerns 3

- Connectivity/integration with the town 3

- Road re-configuration/development 3

- Accommodate residents parking 2

Business 45

- Retain/support/integrate existing creative businesses and other activities 22

- Artists studios/workshops 11

- Small units/workshops 6

- Independent businesses 2

- There are already empty office/shops in the town 2

- Not just commercial businesses 1

- A large depot 1

Other 45- Love/respect/Joy/honesty/Compassion/Truth/Excellence

Inclusion/Diversity/Collaboration/Inspiration/People care

22

Creativity/Artists 7

- Zu/Starfish 2

- Need not greed 2

- Heart not fear 2

- Think Differently 2

- Meeting of people 1

- Portobello Road etc 1- Oasis of beauty 1


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- Roofs 1

- Heart of Lewes 1

- Alive place 1

- Loo in the bus station 1

- Increase in households 1


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Issue Comments

Housing 96

- Affordable/social housing 49

- General comments about the need for housing 8

- Family housing 6

- Housing for older people 6

- Flats/smaller units 5

- Too many houses/no more housing 5

- Mixed of tenures/sizes 4

- No or limited second/expensive homes 4

- Pepper-potting 3

- No social housing 1- Market value housing 1

- Floating houses 1

- Self build 1

- Not flats 1

- No high density housing 1

Business/Commercial 94

- Accommodate/support existing activity 33

- Small units/workshops/artists studios 31- General comments on the need for employment space 14

- Industrial businesses 6

- Vacant commercial spaces in the town 4

- Mixed employment uses 2

- Green businesses 2

- Not for profit businesses 1

- Local construction jobs 1

Sustainability 70- Green buildings/houses 16

- Greenspaces/trees 16

- General sustainability comments 15

- Renewable energy 9

- Food growing/allotments etc 9

- Green roofs 4

- Wildlife reserve 1

Issue Comments


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Documents

Lewes North Street Quarter: Public engagement workshops first stage report