Acknowledging that the SE Plan figure of 5,600 dwellings is a minimum (paragraph 5.7) and that Rye is located within the "Sussex Coast" part of Rother the Preferred Strategy should provide for more housing at Rye to reflect Option 5 - Housing Needs Based figure of 1,100 dwellings. The need for affordable housing in Rye is acknowledged as a contributory factor to poor social and economic conditions (paragraph 8.9). There is a significant need for affordable housing in Rye (paragraph 8.22).
An average provision of 55 dwellings per annum over the 20 year period should not be too stretching a target with potential for redevelopment within the built area, the housing commitments already in Rye (including the planning permission at Udimore Road and the potential to increase housing numbers on and adjoining that site) and the Council's proposals at Rock Channel. Such development would further the objective to plan for balanced communities and support the market town role of Rye and "improve economic and social circumstances" (Box 1 Vision for Rother in 2026) and need not damage the Councils conservation and environmental objectives. The extent to which the town could accommodate such scale of development could then be assessed in detailed studies leading to the production of the Site Allocations DPD.