History of the scheme

What is the scheme’s history and when did it get planning permission?

In June 1994, the County Council’s Highways and Transportation Committee approved 4 route options for the Eastside Distributor Road (as the Newhaven Port Access Road was then known) for consultation. These options comprised:

  • an eastern alignment
  • a central alignment
  • 2 locations for a link between the distributor road and Beach Road

Following public consultation, in December 1994, the Committee resolved to approve the eastern alignment as the route for the Eastside Distributor Road. It should be noted that the northern and southern links to Beach Road were proposed in addition to the Eastside Distributor Road, not as an alternative to it.

Planning permission for the Newhaven Port Access Road was:

  • first granted in 1996
  • renewed in 2002 and 2007, when construction started but was not completed

The 2007 planning permission remains extant. The County Council are now looking to complete the scheme to those approved details.

What is the policy context for the scheme?

Regardless of the length of time since planning permission was granted, delivery of the road is also supported by the Lewes District Joint Core Strategy. This was adopted by both Lewes District Council and the South Downs National Park Authority in 2016. This strategy was fully consulted upon. This included:

  • public exhibitions in Newhaven Town Centre
  • meetings with key stakeholders
  • an examination in public

The Newhaven Port Access Road also features in East Sussex County Council’s Implementation Plan 2016 to 2021. This was for our third local transport plan. This again was subject to a comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation in late 2015.

The Newhaven Enterprise Zone (EZ) is made up of 8 individual sites. Together they cover approximately 79 hectares. It came into effect in April 2017. The delivery of the Newhaven Port Access Road is integral to the delivery of the EZ. It will help the viability of commercial and housing development sites in the Newhaven area.

Coast2Capital – Newhaven Enterprise Zone