Over-development threats

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The Rye Planning and Townscape Committee met on Monday September 4 after the full Rye Town Council (RTC) meeting.

The tenor of the meeting struck this reporter as that of a rearguard struggle in the face of inexorable pressure to inappropriately develop land. 

The Committee then considered, as one councillor eloquently rendered it, “the prospect of Rye as another faceless, themed dormitory town with a Jazz Festival, second homes, holiday lets and Airbnbs”

The Committee had been invited by Playden Parish Council to consider an outline application to demolish one dwelling in New England Lane and build twenty-four on the site. This would patently have an effect on the infrastructure and amenity in Rye and was causing some alarm and considerable resistance in both communities.

It was noted that a Special Meeting of the Council was to be called on Monday September 18 to discuss the proposal to develop some 72 dwellings on the Lower School site and there was a proposal that both applications be considered at this meeting.

It was suggested that some form of restrictive covenant might be applied to such development possibly under the aegis of the Neighbourhood Plan and it was mooted that the Vice Chair of the Rye Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group be asked to consult.

The committee after some discussion resolved to support refusal of the new England Lane application on the grounds that it was contrary to the Neighbourhood Plan, constituted over-development and failed to maintain the strategic green space between Rye and Playden.

Both applications would be further addressed at the Special Council Meeting on September 18.

The Committee had earlier noted the Clerk’s comments to Rother District Council under his delegated authority during the August holiday period, and  three other current applications were considered favourably.

Photo: Rye News library

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