Background

1. Policy RY3 of the adopted Rother District Local Plan (July 2006) identifies some 7ha of land in the vicinity of Rock Channel Rye for selective redevelopment for housing, open space and commercial uses that complement the town's tourism and marine functions as well as suitable office uses. The policy is reproduced in full in Appendix 1, while the area covered by Policy RY3, and by this brief, is shown on Plan A.

2. The policy requires that detailed proposals for the area should be formulated through the means of a development brief. When finalised, the brief will be adopted as a 'Supplementary Planning Document' (SPD), will be part of Rother District Council's Local Development Framework and as such it will be part of the planning framework for the area.

3. The preparation of the draft brief has been subject to the process of Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment. The resulting 'Sustainability Report' has been published separately. Points where the sustainability work has particularly influenced the content of the draft brief are highlighted in the text.

4. The need to undertake a Habitats Directive assessment of the brief (an 'Appropriate Assessment') will be considered in consultation with Natural England.