The old Harveys depot in Pinwell Road, a currently unused plot of prime real estate next to the railway station, is to be sold by the brewery. It is the perfect location for developers to convert and/or new-build flats for commuters. Several national-level developers are interested and have submitted offers. The results could be horrendous.
But there is an alternative. A group of like-minded Lewes residents, who would like the building and the land around it to be turned into an area that would serve the Lewes community, are also putting in a bid for the property. The group is called the Lewes Community Partnership. Its directors will stand down if their bid is successful, and state they are not interested in making a personal profit from the development of the site.
The businesses they would like to put in place would be sustainable, locally based, ecologically minded projects. There is talk of a permanent farmers’ market, an organic bakery, a café and health centre and a number of work/live artists’ studios. Companies which have expressed an interest in taking up space there include BBM Sustainable Design, Just Trade, Southern Solar Renewable Energy, Standard8, Equilibrium and Laporte’s Café.
The consortium are taking pledges from supporters who would like to have a share in the say of the future of the project. Harveys are taking the group seriously, especially since LCP have received two £50,000 pledges, which covers the deposit they would need to buy the land and develop their proposal. They have until Friday May 4th to collect as much money as they can: the more they collect, the more likely they are to persuade Harveys to sell the land to them rather than a major developer, which is likely to be far less sympathetic to the needs of the local people. Click here for more information.