What is the empty new building between Lewes Rd and the railway line?

goldstone · Oct 13, 2013

... just to the west of the Bridge Car Park entrance?

It looks all set up and ready to go, but no-one there? The western end looks like a theatre-style area.

Bollards at the end of the road which disappear into the road to let vehicles pass. All very high-tech and secure.

Eric Potts · Oct 13, 2013

It's the Eastern entrance to the Southwick Tunnel secret military complex.

Lord Bracknell · Oct 13, 2013

It's The Keep - the new Record Office for East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council. I guess the reason it's not yet fully open is that it will take some time to shift the huge archives into the new building and get them all properly located ready to make them available to future users.

http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/localandfamilyhistory/esro/thekeep/default.htm

Lord Bracknell · Oct 13, 2013

Planned opening date is November 2013.

Lord Bracknell · Oct 13, 2013

Sussex University will also move their Mass Observation archive into The Keep.

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/planning/major-developments/keep

A new historical resource centre is under construction at Woollards Field, near Falmer. It will provide a home for all the archives and historical resources of East Sussex and Brighton & Hove and the special collections of the University of Sussex, including the internationally renowned Mass Observation Archive.

The building will also include the library and headquarters of the Sussex Family History Group.

The new building would be open to anyone who wants to use the public search rooms and facilities. Learning and participation across all ages and every part of the community will be encouraged, including schools, colleges, universities, volunteers, community groups and organisations.

The partners delivering the project are East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and the University of Sussex.

Seagull over Canaryland · Oct 13, 2013

Lord Bracknell said:
Sussex University will also move their Mass Observation archive into The Keep.

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/planning/major-developments/keep

A new historical resource centre is under construction at Woollards Field, near Falmer. It will provide a home for all the archives and historical resources of East Sussex and Brighton & Hove and the special collections of the University of Sussex, including the internationally renowned Mass Observation Archive.

The building will also include the library and headquarters of the Sussex Family History Group.

The new building would be open to anyone who wants to use the public search rooms and facilities. Learning and participation across all ages and every part of the community will be encouraged, including schools, colleges, universities, volunteers, community groups and organisations.

The partners delivering the project are East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and the University of Sussex.

Does that mean the archive at the old Maltings in Lewes will relocate - and if so what is happening to the Maltings?

goldstone · Oct 13, 2013

Thank you. That explains it! Anything you need to know, ask the NSC community.

Lord Bracknell · Oct 13, 2013

Seagull over Canaryland said:
Does that mean the archive at the old Maltings in Lewes will relocate - and if so what is happening to the Maltings?

The Maltings is already closed to the public, while they box up the contents and move them to The Keep.

As for the future of the building ... ESCC intend to transfer ownership to Lewes District Council, in exchange for Lewes District Council transferring Southover Grange to ESCC. LDC will use The Maltings to "develop the cultural and heritage identity of Lewes". ESCC will use Southover Grange (which they currently lease from LDC) to "provide an enhanced registration and ceremony facility to residents in East Sussex".

http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/nr/rdo...item5proposedexchangeoflandwithlewesdistr.pdf

Vegas Seagull · Oct 13, 2013

Lord Bracknell said:
Planned opening date is November 2013.

& cutting the red tape for The Keep will be our very own Tomasz...

timbha · Oct 13, 2013

Lord Bracknell said:
The Maltings is already closed to the public, while they box up the contents and move them to The Keep.

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dumb question but wouldn't it have been cheaper to scan the records?

West Hoathly Seagull · Oct 13, 2013

Lord Bracknell said:
The Maltings is already closed to the public, while they box up the contents and move them to The Keep.

As for the future of the building ... ESCC intend to transfer ownership to Lewes District Council, in exchange for Lewes District Council transferring Southover Grange to ESCC. LDC will use The Maltings to "develop the cultural and heritage identity of Lewes". ESCC will use Southover Grange (which they currently lease from LDC) to "provide an enhanced registration and ceremony facility to residents in East Sussex".

http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/nr/rdo...item5proposedexchangeoflandwithlewesdistr.pdf

Ed, is the move that was rumoured for ESCC to Polegate still on? I think you mentioned it to me once, and I heard it from another source as well. A couple of questions: if that happens, what will go on St Anne's Crescent? Housing, offices? Secondly, would Lewes cease to be East Sussex's County Town, or would it keep it, if only for ceremonial purposes?

dougdeep · Oct 13, 2013

timbha said:
dumb question but wouldn't it have been cheaper to scan the records?

What and destroy the originals?

Seagull over Canaryland · Oct 13, 2013

Lord Bracknell said:
The Maltings is already closed to the public, while they box up the contents and move them to The Keep.

As for the future of the building ... ESCC intend to transfer ownership to Lewes District Council, in exchange for Lewes District Council transferring Southover Grange to ESCC. LDC will use The Maltings to "develop the cultural and heritage identity of Lewes". ESCC will use Southover Grange (which they currently lease from LDC) to "provide an enhanced registration and ceremony facility to residents in East Sussex".

http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/nr/rdo...item5proposedexchangeoflandwithlewesdistr.pdf

LB: Thanks for clarifying that, I don't go past the Maltings much these days so am interested to hear about this. I wonder what LDC will make of the building. Although characterful it was very limited as an archive but has potential for some other cultural purpose. Very handy for the Lewes Arms too.

Theatre of Trees · Oct 13, 2013

timbha said:
dumb question but wouldn't it have been cheaper to scan the records?

A dumb question - It would take a very long time to do this, there are hundreds and thousands of documents at least.

Lord Bracknell · Oct 13, 2013

West Hoathly Seagull said:
Ed, is the move that was rumoured for ESCC to Polegate still on? I think you mentioned it to me once, and I heard it from another source as well. A couple of questions: if that happens, what will go on St Anne's Crescent? Housing, offices? Secondly, would Lewes cease to be East Sussex's County Town, or would it keep it, if only for ceremonial purposes?

The last I heard was that it was still an ambition of the Conservative group on ESCC. But what difference the loss by the Tories of overall control in last May's elections will make, I don't know. A fair deal of administration is now located in Eastbourne anyway. As for the "county town" status, I'm not sure what it means, if anything, these days.

Freddie Goodwin. · Oct 13, 2013

The Keep may well be a fantastic place inside but it looks awful from the outside.

Lord Bracknell · Oct 13, 2013

timbha said:
dumb question but wouldn't it have been cheaper to scan the records?

Theatre of Trees said:
A dumb question - It would take a very long time to do this, there are hundreds and thousands of documents at least.

... and some of them are very old indeed - and odd shapes and sizes. There is, in any event, a national project to digitise records held locally in all public record offices - ESCC are participating in this, but it won't cover everything.

And I'm sure no-one would agree to dispose of medieval records, simply because a photo-copy is available. An example (chosen at random from the on-line catalogue) is this item from the deeds of Herstmonceux Castle, which date from 1385:-

U1384/T12/1
Feoffment of unspecified land; Thomas Chiche, Thomas Wallere, John Broke and Thomas Broke, draper, to Richard Brenchesle and his wife Ann;
Year:- 1406

Lord Bracknell · Oct 13, 2013

Freddie Goodwin. said:
The Keep may well be a fantastic place inside but it looks awful from the outside.

I guess it's the lack of windows. Most of the building is made up of store rooms, where light would cause ancient records to deteriorate.

HovaGirl · Oct 14, 2013

timbha said:
dumb question but wouldn't it have been cheaper to scan the records?

And do what with the originals? 1,000 years of records still need to be stored somewhere.

Green Cross Code Man · Oct 14, 2013

Lord Bracknell said:
As for the "county town" status, I'm not sure what it means, if anything, these days.

I suppose when Brighton and Hove became a unitary authority, the balance of power naturally shifted east as Eastbourne became the largest town. A shame really, as although I'm from Eastbourne, Lewes should, in my opinion, continue its eminence as our civic centre.

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What is the empty new building between Lewes Rd and the railway line?

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