Permission to store vintage buses at farm buildings near Lewes is granted

On Wednesday (October 5), Lewes District Council’s planning committee approved a retrospective application to change the use of two agricultural buildings at Northease Farm in Whiteway Lane, off of the C7.

The decision formalises the use of two farm buildings — previously used for machine storage and for cattle — as a vehicle repair business and a storage area for vintage buses.

While the scheme had been recommended for approval by planning officers, objections were raised by Rodmell Parish Council on a number of grounds, including impact on the rural character of the area.

Speaking to the committee, parish councillor Sue Carroll also stressed the authority’s concerns around highway safety. She said: “Access to Northease Farm is via the C7 Lewes to Newhaven road; a notoriously dangerous road, narrow, winding, fast and accident prone.

“Whiteway Lane is a restricted by-way without pavements. It has one of the worst junctions on the C7. The highways inspector confirms that the sightlines here to the south were significantly below government requirements.”

East Sussex County Council Highways had initially raised an objection to the proposal, but this was withdrawn following the agreement of planning conditions. These included a limit on the number of times the buses would be allowed to leave and return to the premises each year.

These conditions had failed to win support from Cllr Carroll, however. She said: “What would be the chances of a driver rounding that blind bend at 50mph just as a double-decker bus moves blindly and slowly out of Whiteway Lane onto the narrow C7.

“In Russian roulette terms does restricting the number of bus movements to 14 per year represent reasonable odds for drivers on the C7?”

But Cllr Richard Turner said: “You’ve got to remember the people driving these buses have professional driving licences; they do know what they are doing. They are not just here today, gone tomorrow.”

Following further consideration the application was approved as recommended by planning officers.

There was some discussion about requiring safety measures as part of the approval, the committee were told this would not be a reasonable condition due to the lack of objections from ESCC Highways.