May 17 2012.

Eastside Developers Call on Council to Vote for Investment:

Lewes District Council's Planning Committee will make its decision on the investment plans for the Eastside site at a public meeting at Tideway School, Newhaven on Wednesday 23rd May 2012.

The Eastside scheme includes:
- Up to 190 new homes, including 48 much-needed affordable homes.

- 400 new jobs for local people.

- Significant investment in Newhaven's infrastructure, including delivering the first phase of the new Port Access Road.

- A 40,000 square foot nett ASDA store with a petrol station.

- 14 flexible commercial units in a range of sizes.

As part of the proposals, a multi-million pound investment is being made to deliver the first phase of the new Port Access Road, a long time strategic infrastructure priority for the area.

Money to complete the rest of the road has been committed by East Sussex County Council. A package of supporting measures including direct investment in the town centre is also on offer.

Support for the plans continues to be submitted to the Council from local residents and most recently from the Newhaven Chamber of Commerce and Sussex Downs College.

A spokesperson for Avalon said: "The Planning Committee has a clear decision to make. It can back our plans with
guaranteed investment, jobs, shopping choice, affordable homes and a chance for the Port to thrive, or it can see that Newhaven misses out, again.

"We have worked for over three years, with Council officers and the local community, in getting the right plan for Newhaven. We have all the approvals needed so that we can start to deliver from Day One. It's now up the planning committee.

"There is only one development that can be delivered and will help Newhaven both now and in the future - Avalon, ASDA and Barratt Homes at Eastside. We call on the Council to give us the go-ahead and allow us to start delivering."

Rob Philips, Planning Manager at Barratt Homes said: "This is it. The planning committee has a decision to make. It can listen to the views of local people, who have consistently backed our plans, or it can say 'no thank you'.

"A decision is needed on the 23rd.

"Other applications in front of the Committee on the night are not deliverable, or feasible. The roads plans for Arrowcroft simply do not work. We commissioned an independent assessment that shows that their project will deliver more traffic chaos. We would not be surprised to see formal objections to the Arrowcroft plans from the
Highways Agency and Network Rail."

Chris Martin, Senior Property Communications Manager, ASDA said: "The Council gave other plans time to catch-up with us and they have failed. Our investment is guaranteed, theirs is not; we have a solution for the roads, they do not;
we deliver housing, they do not.

"There is a clear and unambiguous objection to the Arrowcroft scheme from West Sussex County Council. Their plans do not work on roads safety or capacity grounds.

"Our planning application has been with the Council for a year, we have been working with the community for over three, now is the time to say 'yes' to Eastside."