Traders and council slam police station bid

Sussex Police has applied for permission to build a two-storey building on the site after a similar application was refused by Lewes District Council last year.

Lewes Chamber Of Commerce, which represents more than 100 businesses, has criticised the plan because it will cut the number of car parking spaces for visitors to the town, while the Lewes Town Council has said Sussex Police should renovate its existing building in West Street.

Andrew Clarke, vice president of Lewes Chamber of Commerce, said: 'Lewes has always been underprovided with central off-street parking and the loss of half of this car park to development is unacceptable.

'It is a major asset to the businesses in the upper High Street and is heavily used, not only by shoppers, but by visitors to the crown court, the White Hart, and the many restaurants, pubs and offices in the area.'

Mr Clarke said the proposal would be a 'gross underdevelopment of this site' and warned a 'town centre parking meltdown' could occur.

On Tuesday the town council's planning committee also criticised the plan.

Cllr Merlin Milner said: 'A number of people are unhappy about the loss of parking spaces and I don't know what's wrong with the old building.

'I think it comes down to pounds, shillings and pence.

'They realise the real estate value of it and no doubt if this is agreed, in the future we'll see an application for flats in the "Old Police Station Quarter".'

In response to the criticisms from the chamber of commerce, a spokesman for Sussex Police Authority said: 'We appreciate that the planned location for the new police station in Lewes will have an effect on parking availability in this immediate locality, but we believe these are outweighed by the advantages offered.

'Visitors to the police station will be able to park close by, especially drivers with limited mobility who are not able to stop safely close to the existing station.

'Fewer than half of the existing spaces will be affected by the new building and in the last couple of years more spaces have been created on street and in the Brooks Road and Pinwell Road car parks, the latter being a similar distance away from the High Street as North Street.

'Additionally, the area is less densely populated and residents will be less disturbed by vehicle movements to and from the station.'

The final decision on the application will be made by Lewes District Council.