8. Rye and Rye Harbour

Comment

Representation ID: 19123

Received: 24/01/2009

Respondent: Mrs Jean Floyd

e ii Supermarket should be only within [not adjacent to] town centre. To put such a large supermarket on e.g. the Freda Gardam site would kill High Street retailers. Two examples of what would happen: Hythe and Plymouth town centre which I watched die almost immediately (mid 1990's) when a Tesco cum mall opened on the outskirts. In your job you will have encountered many more examples. Something like an 'Express' sueprmarket in the Woolworths building would be excellent-especially if it were open on a Sunday as this would be an extra incentive to come to Rye

Object

Representation ID: 19257

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Aroncorp Ltd

Agent: Broadlands

The planning appeal decision has established that the Local Plan residential allocation at Udimore Road is a sustainable location where there are no overriding constraints to development. Further studies are not required to acknowledge that land to the west and south of the Local Plan allocation is a suitable location for development.
The Strategy should acknowledge this fact and identify this as a preferred location.

Object

Representation ID: 19468

Received: 24/02/2009

Respondent: Environment Agency

The Environment Agency request that the history of industry at Rye Harbour is acknowledged and safeguarding the environment from, and the remediation of, land contamination is included as an environmental objective for the area. It must also be noted that any development on brownfield land in this area would need to be subject to an assessment of risk.
Recommendation 4:
Include an Objective in Box 14 on page 62 to read: "(ix) To protect the environment from the impacts of land contamination present at Rye Harbour".

Object

Representation ID: 19470

Received: 24/02/2009

Respondent: Environment Agency

The Preferred Strategy for Rye and Rye Harbour on page 66 c) (i) states by 2020 all of Rye will be defended to the recognised standard of 1 in 200 Year flood event. We consider that this is a reasonable statement however, the standard of defence does not automatically allow for further development and a Sequential Test as defined in PPS25 must be undertaken for sites within Flood Zones 2 and 3 to demonstrate that no reasonably developable sites are available on sites in areas at lower risk of flooding.

Comment

Representation ID: 19471

Received: 24/02/2009

Respondent: Environment Agency

Additional activities or developments in the Rother Estuary or Rock Channel will have to avoid any direct or indirect damage to the Site of Special Scientific Interest. Outside of the designated site, activities adjacent to in or on wetland habitats such as the Rother Estuary should avoid any loss of Biodiversity Action Plan Habitat such as inter-tidal mud or saltmarsh.

It should be taken into account that development in the Rock Channel or adjacent to the Old Rastrums site will only be acceptable if Government Guidance is followed that achieves a net gain for wildlife as a result of any significant development.

Comment

Representation ID: 19472

Received: 24/02/2009

Respondent: Environment Agency

As the Council supports the Living Landscape Project, the Local Nature Reserve at Rye Harbour and the principle of a strategic gap between the Rock Channel and Rye Harbour Developments it could do more to suggest how this strategic gap should be managed. Whereas at present the preferred option on for the Environment is to leave the question of habitat creation open to be determined at a later date.

Object

Representation ID: 19474

Received: 24/02/2009

Respondent: Environment Agency

Box 15 - a) (ii) of the Preferred Strategy refers to the possibility of enhancing commercial shipping at the harbour by providing additional port activities adjacent to the existing Rastrum site. There is a need for major investment in the harbour infrastructure for the harbour to remain a viable port for shipping and further investment would need to be secured to enable additional port activities to take place. Recommendation 5:
Page 63 - paragraph 8.14 should be updated to include that investment is required for Rye Harbour to remain a viable port for shipping and further investment would be needed in order to enable additional wharf and industrial activities to take place.

Comment

Representation ID: 19530

Received: 22/01/2009

Respondent: Mr. Graham Alexander

Free car parking in Rye and Hastings should be a major consideration.

Object

Representation ID: 19623

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Campaign for a Democratic Rye

Any plan for the future of Rye must take account of the overriding need to conserve the older parts of the town .The historic centre of Rye needs protection from noise, traffic and inappropriate development.
This is insufficiently stressed in the document..
Local distinctiveness
There is a need to maintain a good mix of retail outlets, and professional services in the town centre both for local residents and for visitors. There are a number of shops of an unusual and specialist nature which add to its attractiveness (Box 15a,15c Comment)

Object

Representation ID: 19624

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Campaign for a Democratic Rye

There is an urgent need to bring in better traffic management to preserve the fabric and character of the towns historic core. The tonnage of vehicles using cobbled streets needs to be restricted. Rye is one of the few medieval towns with unrestricted access for trucks of up to 7.5 tonnes. (Box 15e.Comment).
Car Parking
Recognise the importance and availability of affordable car parking for Rye. (Box 15e
Comment).
Rail Travel
There is a need to improve rail travel to Rye by electrification and dual tracking of the line between Hastings and Ashford. This could greatly reduce car use.(Section 13 Comment). Restriction of developments near the railway line which might impede improvements ,Box 15d. Comment).

Object

Representation ID: 19625

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Campaign for a Democratic Rye

Public conveniences
There is a need to recognise the need for adequate public toilets across the town especially for a major tourist centre. (Box 15e. Comment)
Cultural activities of all kinds are important in attracting tourists to Rye .Its festival is nationally known. Many in local villages see it as a cultural focus. There is a need for a major centre encompassing theatre, cinema and meeting hall. A new library, which is badly needed, could be part of the complex. There is no reason why Rye should not copy St Ives, Aldeburgh or Chichester .The economy of the town could only gain from this (Boxes 15a,b.Comment)

Object

Representation ID: 19626

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Campaign for a Democratic Rye

We object to the disproportionate number of new houses allocated to Rye . (450 in total). It is said that 1 house is to be allocated in Rye for every 12 people, but in Bexhill the number is 1 for every 12.5.
Rye is not well placed to deal with much extra housing. It lacks infrastructure and employment opportunities. Traffic congestion will increase. The character of a historic town will be materially affected .
There needs to be much further discussion on the type of housing needed for a steadily ageing population. (Box 15f. Object)

Object

Representation ID: 19627

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Campaign for a Democratic Rye

Retail developments
The proposal is that "1650 sqm additional convenience goods sales areas" be provided within or near to the town centre. We consider this to be excessive. Many consider this would be damaging to existing shops within Rye. On the other hand, it is evident that there is considerable dissatisfaction with the towns existing supermarket arrangements.a recent survey appears to suggest that most Rye residents do supermarket shopping in nearby towns.

More debate with the public is needed. No potential sites for supermarket delineated at this stage without these discussions.(Box 15e,ii. Object)

Comment

Representation ID: 19649

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rye Chamber of Commerce

1.Rye has a strong High Street made up of a variety of business types and these should be kept. It is equally important to maintain the variety of businesses in the roads around the High Street. The local plan needs to identify these sites in order to protect them.
3.We welcome business and employment opportunities in Rye Harbour. Rye Harbour is an opportunity to bring redundant land back into use and to provide employment to people in Rye. The main problem is the junction onto the A259. Until the junction improvement becomes a reality, any substantial improvement to Rye Harbour is a pipe dream.

Object

Representation ID: 19650

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

Retailing problems in areas like Rye are much more complex than just floorspace. More incisive research is needed. Within the Rye citadel area, there is a need to address the poor mix and quality of retailers, so that the High Street and side roads provide a more compelling destination for shoppers.
Additional floorspace, given that it will have to be outside the citadel and even the town centre, is likely to be destructive to the core of the town. To be transparent, the Core Strategy needs to estimate the impact, in terms of closed small shops, of a new major retailer, particularly if it is out of town or edge of town. There also needs to be balance in the analysis of shopping: although some 80% of residents' shopping is done outside Rye, how much money would stay in the town if a new supermarket appeared from outside the locality and closed locally- owned shops? It also needs to be remembered that a major retailer, particularly if located at the edge of town, would do little to attract residents or visitors to the other shops in the town, as major retailers try to provide a comprehensive service under one roof, and most visits to such a retailer would be one-off weekly shops by car, with little or no time for further visits. An edge-of-town location would also exacerbate traffic problems in Rye, which is at odds with the Core Strategy's environmental objectives.
There is a strong argument for an additional large retailer, because competition is desperately needed for the existing supermarket. However, experience shows that a large retailer is likely to act in a predatory manner against other retailers, large and small, so the initial increase in consumer choice will soon disappear.

We therefore have serious doubts about the proposals for so much additional retail space in Rye. At a minimum, this additional floorspace must not be allowed to be monopolised by one or two retailers, and should be carefully located (as close to the town centre as possible) and constrained in size. New retailers should also contribute to the character and distinctiveness of Rye, and there should be significant contributions expected from major retailers.

Object

Representation ID: 19655

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

We do not feel that there is enough emphasis on regenerating Rye's role as a market town that serves outlying villages like Winchelsea. In particular, we are disappointed at the anaemic references to adult education, eg "further consideration to lifelong learning opportunities" (paragraph 8.3). Adult education can play an important role in promoting employment skills, but is particularly important for older people with leisure time and a desire to acquire life skills such as IT competence. Yet, adult education at Rye has been progressively neutered, while alternative venues are simply too far for many people.

Comment

Representation ID: 19656

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rye Chamber of Commerce

There are many redundant sites within Rye - Freda Gardham site, Lower School site, Rock Channel, South Undercliff, Old Garage site, library site , the Old Monastry and a number of others. These are in need of proper plans for their future. Talk about extra retail space and commercial space in the town, is not helpful if these sites remain empty or underutilised. These need a public debate to ensure that the town will benefit. The Lower School site is allocated for housing in the local plan, but there is discussion about Tesco occupying this land.

Object

Representation ID: 19658

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

A library will bring enormous benefits for community life and a venue for activities, communication and consultation. It will also be important for neighbouring villages. The document assumes that a Rye library is in hand, but there are serious doubts as to whether the proposed library is sufficient in scale. The LDF must seek a library fit for purpose.

Comment

Representation ID: 19659

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

There is a problem of derelict or poorly-maintained sites in Rye, many of which are in public ownership. Rye is looking shabby and the locations that are the main culprits are in public or semi-public ownership. Surely, the LDF is an opportunity for these partners to co-operate in "joined up" planning for the sake of the town.

Comment

Representation ID: 19660

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rye Chamber of Commerce

6.Rail links are mentioned in the strategy to aim to reduce our dependence upon cars. We would support this. We would support all efforts to improve the rail links. These help reduce dependence upon cars, improve commuting and local travel, but also assist tourism by providing an economic and convenient way to get to Rye.

Object

Representation ID: 19661

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

Rye needs a large, new, central civic building to accommodate public meetings and exhibitions, cultural activities, and community events. The Community Hall and similar buildings are not attractive or entirely adequate, and none is a flagship for Rye. The location at the bottom of Conduit Hill would be ideal, as it close to the centre of the town and has a collection of civic properties, as well as the former doctors' surgery and the nearby monastery site, as well as parking close by.

Comment

Representation ID: 19662

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

There needs to be a strategy to tackle the low skill levels and lack of training in the tourist industry in Rye.

Comment

Representation ID: 19663

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rye Chamber of Commerce

We note that the Chamber is not listed as one of the Lead Agencies or Partners at the end of the chapter on Rye. We would like to be included as a partner.

Support

Representation ID: 19665

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

Para 8.24
We support the suggestion that an amalgam of Strategy Options would be best for Rye.

Object

Representation ID: 19668

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

The reference to cycle routes and footpaths in Rye is entirely inward-looking and neglects links to villages and countryside, which will surely be important in promoting green tourism. There needs to be cycle path directly between Winchelsea and Rye.

Comment

Representation ID: 19670

Received: 02/03/2009

Respondent: Messrs. Chishick, Commotto and Terry

Rye Harbour has been included with Rye, for obvious reasons. Yet, Rye Harbour remains ---for now entirely irrelevant, historic reasons ---within the parish of Icklesham (the village of Icklesham being almost four miles distant). The inconsistency between the political locus of Rye Harbour, and its economic and development locus, is unhelpful. One consequence is that key statistics for Rye Harbour are not available for use in formulating strategies for the village, but distort the statistics for the other three villages in Icklesham parish. Rye Harbour should be brought within the boundaries of Rye, probably as a ward.

Comment

Representation ID: 19675

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rye Chamber of Commerce

The provision of a large supermarket in Rye has been the subject of considerable debate . It has split public opinion. As a minimum, we would not want the words "supermarket" within the strategy document, this would give too much credibility and support to that idea. Consultation with businesses and residents in Rye would advise what retail type is required. We believe the shopping survey was not properly carried out, and responses so limited that the views cannot be considered reliable. We would welcome further consultation. Should discussion look at more large retail space in new locations , when we have space already available? It is important that the Woolworths store is retained for retail use.

Comment

Representation ID: 19676

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rye Chamber of Commerce

The strategy discusses the additional space, but does this use that additional space that Budgens will be taking up. The current store will increase in size appreciably. Does the strategy propose another very large supermarket?
The location of new retail space needs to be considered. If a supermarket is to come to Rye, then its location is absolutely crucial. Too far out would pull shoppers away from the High Street, One in the centre of the town would only make traffic matters worse unless a road strategy was also implemented.

Comment

Representation ID: 19809

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: East Sussex County Council

Rye

Any proposals for expansion to the north of the town would need more detailed landscape capacity study. Long views to this raised area from the levels to the east would be a particular consideration.
Similarly, the area to the west of the town is open to long views across the levels and from the raised cliff to the north.

The Strategic Open Spaces Study, East Sussex County Council, (which establishes a modification of ANGst) identifies the need for open space at Rye Harbour. The summary has been to Scrutiny and the final version will be published by March 2009 with a view to seeking adoption by districts and boroughs.

Object

Representation ID: 19886

Received: 27/01/2009

Respondent: Mr. Alan Bolden

Much through traffic through Rye. One way system at Crown Fields, Station Approach and part of cinque Ports street is increasing in vehicle sizes and number, and also damaging historic parts of the town. Additional supermarket space will increase problem. No proposal to divert traffic away from Rye.