The Station Car Park Site

Why Lewes? Why this site?

I decided to focus my masterwork in the context of Lewes as it is a perfect location that combines multiple housing, employment and environmental challenges that need addressing as well as complexities that will help me develop in my research of urban design.

This site drew my attention 4 or 5 years ago, through work, as I have been involved in the assessment of planning applications in Lewes for some time now. I have known the site from many vantage points, as a rail service user, a car park user, a visitor, a professional, a student, with friends, colleagues and on my own, during the day and night, during weekdays and weekends, winter and summer… The experience of the site has been extensive and a few years ago I started questioning why this site in such desirable location is so poorly treated, being a half-empty car park. I have enjoyed the beautiful conversion of the Depot into a cinema, restaurant and open space, and I experienced the drastic contrast of the Depot, which contributes so greatly to people’s lives in Lewes, and the harsh and empty of life space that sits just beyond the walls of the Depot.

Later in my career, I realised that part of the car park site was allocated by planning policy for residential development, to my surprise. My reaction was bifold: I thought that this allocation represented an excellent opportunity to do things right and repair the town through new design and development. On another hand, my expectations for something really inspiring were low, as most residential developments locally were mediocre.

It is now that I have an opportunity to expand my knowledge of the site, planning and urban design issues of Lewes, and to build the first stepping stones of what could become a successful addition to the town.