No. Site ID6 - Orchards Farm, Wittersham Road is preferred.

In support of Orchards Farm, Wittersham Road.

Site ID6 is a brownfield site as being advocated in the shortly to be issued Government white paper and should be considered as an Exception site.
History: Until 2009 Orchard Farm was a fruit producing farm when it ceased to be viable. The buildings are at present used for a) joinery workshop and storage and b) removal lorry parking and storage. They do not meet modern standards of workplace.

There is employment on the site although only one person is a 'local'. The removal business is mainly for vehicle parking with minimal storage. Both of these businesses would be re-located to more suitable premises, possibly units at Rye Harbour.

An application for 18 dwellings was made in 2011 and was supported by the Parish Council but subsequently refused.

Location: Orchard Farm is located on Wittersham Road (B2082) on the Northern end of the village well within the 'envelope' of the village and there are some 17 dwellings beyond the site to the North and also several light industrial units.
Access: Access, from Wittersham Road, is existing and provides adequate visibility. As the land South and North are in the same ownership the existing hedgerows can be removed and re-aligned to further improve visibility. The Highway Authority recommend refusal of the 2011 application but at that time it was not a 30 mph restriction.

Pedestrian Access: Walking access from the village 'centre' (the shop and pub) is a few minutes walk and the village is served by the Rye/Tenterden bus service at regular intervals and also the Rye Town bus. A bus stop is situated 50 metres to the North. A footpath on the West side of Wittersham Road extends almost to the site and would be continued.

Proposal: The proposal is to provide 12 dwellings as designated by the Iden allocations plan. These to be of mixed value with 40% affordable homes.

Existing Buildings: The existing buildings are 'slab sided' and of no architectural merit at all.

Services: Electricity is already on site and would be adequate to service the proposal. Water is on site and available for the increased requirement.

Drainage: Foul drainage is on site but would need to be upgraded. If necessary a new connection could be provided further to the North t accommodate the necessary falls to alleviate raising any floor levels. Service water drainage is on site and the present drained area would probably not be increased. However a water course is available to the West and could be utilised possibly with the incorporation of an attenuation tank.

AONB: Although the site is in an AONB the development would be a great improvement and an 'uplift' to the village.

Screening to the West can be easily achieved and because the surrounding land is in the same ownership open area and play area can all be incorporated.