Planning Potential secured a unanimous resolution to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of Newhaven Marina to deliver 400 homes (including 100 retirement flats), offices, retail, restaurants, marina related facilities, with 300 berths and associated facilities
Newhaven Marina has long been identified as an underutilised brownfield site, in a prime waterfront location. Lewes District Council along with Newhaven Town Council both allocated the land for redevelopment in their respective Plans. With a historic planning permission that was never implemented due to the financial crash, Planning Potential were brought on board to obtain a new full planning permission that met the developers updated needs for the site, whilst delivering transformative regeneration proposals.
The site presents a significant number of challenges, principally associated with its waterfront location, including the need for flood defences, and the reclamation of land to ensure bank stability and increase the developable area. Accordingly, the scheme presents significant abnormal costs which needs to be carefully balanced to ensure the proposals didn’t compromise the regeneration benefits associated with waterfront development of this scale in this location.
The proposals need to ensure that they do not inhibit the operation of the Newhaven to Dieppe Ferry that turns immediately adjacent to the site, whilst also not prohibiting views to the Newhaven Fort, an ancient scheduled monument.
The team worked closely with the residents of Newhaven, the Town Council, Lewes District Council, statutory and non-statutory consultees, including Historic England, Brighton and Hove Buses, the Environment Agency and Natural England.
Landscape Visual Impact work was able to reduce harm to the setting of the fort as less than substantial, balanced against the extensive public benefits associated with the development, which enabled the planning committee to wholeheartedly support the scheme.
