Planning Case Study 132
Meridian public house, Western Road, Lewes, East Sussex
Planning scenario(s)
Heritage assets affected
Non-designated heritage assets with archaeological and historic interest
Type of application & broad category
Local planning authority
Authority: Lewes District Council
References: LW/10/0264
Development proposal
Conversion of public house to dwelling, construction of five new houses.
Archaeological information known about the site before the planning application was made, or before the development commenced, as appropriate
Archaeological Notification Area.
Archaeological/planning processes
The proposed development was granted planning permission with a pre- commencement condition.
Archaeological excavation uncovered important remains dating to the later Medieval period including evidence for two possible houses fronting onto Western Road, one of which contained a hearth, whilst to the rear of these properties were two large pits, one of which contained a brick wall structure. A large assemblage of pottery, animal bone and other artefacts has been recovered, the pottery covering a (provisional) date range of 1450- 1550AD.
Full discharge of the planning condition was refused by the LPA until agreement had been reached with the developer (in line with the WSI) for publication of the results of the excavation in a local archaeological journal. This was to ensure that the results of the work could be made available to the public.
Outcomes: archaeological
A request by the developer for the discharge of archaeological planning condition was refused until the developer agreed to fund publication. Publication work is still in progress.
References and links/bibliography
News item on archaeological contractor website: http://cbasltd.co.uk/news%202010.html (link non-functional, 21/11/2021)
