July 4 2012.

Latest news from Lewes District Council:

The consultation closed on 20th June and the land was sold on 29th June. As a direct response to public consultation, which was fully considered and evaluated the following decisions were taken:

• The equipped play area has been excluded from the sale

• The recreation ground remains open to the public for four years

• The informal land and recreation ground have been sold on the basis that allows them to be returned to Lewes District Council if the scheme proposals do not go ahead and the District Council wishes to do so.

Roundtable Entertainment has bought the land and it has been sold for the use of continued recreation or hotel use. Nothing else can be built unless Lewes District Council expressly consents to it. The land was sold for £84,000 which is strictly in accordance with the District Valuer, taking account of the restrictive covenants on the site.

Roundtable Entertainment will undertake a feasibility study and then will announce its communication plan in October 2012. This will provide information on how and when local people will be consulted as the project moves forward.

Lewes District Council will work closely with the developer to ensure that wide scale consultation is undertaken. We are also drawing up plans for community engagement which will be released by the end of July.