New images of the Lewes North Street Quarter riverside walk and flood defences show how cyclists and pedestrians will be able to enjoy the Ouse riverside all the way from the Causeway to the South Downs, if the Lewes District Council and Santon North Street planning application is approved.
A double level riverside walk will offer a promenade on top of the flood defences and a grassy pathway below, as well as a new foot and cycle bridge across the river, creating an easy link from the town centre and new development to the Malling Fields and South Downs countryside beyond.
October saw the 15th anniversary of the 2000 floods when 2 metres of water rose through the North Street area and this site and the Pells area is the only part of Lewes not to be protected, as it was left as part of the local plan to ensure development with flood protection.
A spokesman for North Street said, “Urgent protection against flooding was one of the main things local people asked for during our pre-application and recent consultations and we will complete the flood defences as part of the first phase of construction on this development, which represents an enormous infrastructure investment.
“People also asked for the riverside to be opened up to them, as currently there is a wall along the Phoenix Estate which blocks the river completely from view – our scheme will deliver a riverside pathway for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy the riverside fully, as well as views from the Causeway.”
Upstream of Lewes, considerable efforts by the Environment Agency are being made to encourage the management of the undeveloped land, arable acres and woodlands to be sensitive towards the way in which rainfall run-off happens. This management can, at modest costs, significantly affect the rate of flow and volumes of flood water reaching Lewes at the critical time during a flood risk event.
All of this will have a positive impact on flood risk for all the towns along the Ouse, with Lewes gaining most benefit as it is the second furthest town downstream.
A spokesman for North Street continued, “The North Street Quarter development is in Flood Cell 4 and as part of the development work, we have also taken the decision to defend Flood Cell 5, which is outside of the North Street Quarter, but constructing defences here would complete the Environment Agency’s plans for this area, so this seems a sensible addition to our plans to ensure long-term security for the wider area.
“This defence of the Pells area has been brought forward to the first phase of the development in response to comments from residents.”
The proposed flood defences in the North Street Quarter are designed for a flood risk level which is set by the Environment Agency and includes allowance for the climate change expected over the coming decades.
A complementary water strategy, built into the scheme’s design, will provide attractive water features within public open spaces, which will also boost the area’s wildlife. Rainwater run-off will be managed on the site through permeable paving and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), which use open swales and water gardens instead of drains, supporting eco-diversity and helping alleviate the risk of flooding. Without these measures, water would otherwise gather behind the flood defences.
Public launch access points will be built along the North Street Quarter for small boats. Swales and open water features will be created throughout the site, creating new landscape and ecology pathways which encourage connections for wildlife through the scheme to the river. The new health centre, which will provide services for 26,000 patients, including public exhibition space capturing the heritage of the site, will also include public gardens leading down to the riverside.