Box 26 - (c) For tourism
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19105
Received: 28/01/2009
Respondent: Mr Peter Bull
Agent: HLL Humberts Leisure
The potential for other leisure and recreation establishments, as well as country house and golf hotels, should be reflected in the wording of paragraph (c) (iii) of this policy.
Holiday lodges should be acknowledged in paragraph (c) (vi) as a means of upgrading the quality and visual appearance of existing caravan and camping parks and providing new accommodation on existing leisure and recreation sites.
We support the emphasis on green tourism in para. (c) (ii).
We support the recognition of tourism as a key sector of the district's economy. We agree that in order to attract more, and higher spending, visitors, there is a pressing need to improve the current standard and quantity of visitor accommodation (paragraphs iii and vi). Paragraph (iii) needs to acknowledge that there are other leisure and recreation establishements based in the countryside besides golf hotels that have potential to expand, thereby providing better quality tourist accommodation. In particular, angling centres, which by their nature require a countryside location, are well suited to providing a range of tourist accommodation suitable for the countryside, such as self-catering chalets and lodges in a tranquil rural setting with recreational activities provided on site. To this end, the policy should not restrict itself to "country house and golf hotels" but be widened so that it includes other recreation and leisure establishments that are appropriate locations for tourist accommodation in the countryside.
National planning policy support for this comes in Paragraph 34 (ii) of PPS7. It advises that there is scope for "tourist and leisure related developments" in "areas statutorily designated for their landscape, nature conservation and historic qualities". To this end, para. (c) of Box 26 should refer explicitly to the AONB as a location for improved visitor accommodation, including holiday lodges.
Furthermore, paragraph 29 of the consultation draft of PPS4 advises LPA's to "consider proposals (for economic development) favourably unless there is good reason to believe that the economic, social and/or environmental costs of development are likely to outweigh the benefits". Provision of good quality tourist accommodation should therefore be supported, if it comprises development such as holiday lodges which is compatible with its surroundings.
Paragraph (vi) recognises the role of holiday chalets, caravan and camping sites to the tourist economy and this is welcomed. In addition, the policy could refer to the suitability of holiday lodges, which have become a popular way of upgrading existing static and touring caravan parks. The appearance of lodges is much more compatible with a rural environment and their promotion can do much to improve the visual quality of the countryside, particularly when sited in sensitive landscapes in lieu of traditional static and touring caravans.
To this end, it is suggested that paragraph (iv) explicitly refer to holiday lodges as a sustainable means to upgrade existing caravan and camping sites.
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19168
Received: 26/01/2009
Respondent: Mr Nigel Jennings
Given that tourism is Rye's biggest employer (30%) then I would have expected more in the document on creating more of a focus for Rye.
Look at what the Tate has done for St Ives and hopefully now for Margate. There has been a suggestion for a Fletcher Festival Theatre to commemorate the dramatist John Fletcher. The Core Strategy should be looking to support and encourage such initiatives.
Given that tourism is Rye's biggest employer (30%) then I would have expected more in the document on creating more of a focus for Rye.
Look at what the Tate has done for St Ives and hopefully now for Margate. There has been a suggestion for a Fletcher Festival Theatre to commemorate the dramatist John Fletcher. The Core Strategy should be looking to support and encourage such initiatives.
Support
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19234
Received: 29/01/2009
Respondent: Sedlescombe Parish Council
Sedlescombe Parish Council supports the conversion of farm buildings for tourism.
Sedlescombe Parish Council supports the conversion of farm buildings for tourism.
Object
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19246
Received: 29/01/2009
Respondent: Park Holidays UK
Agent: Rural Solutions
There is a need to properly provide for holiday parks as a popular and vital component of the leisure accommodation offer within the economy which is particularly valuable in supporting longer stay/higher value rural tourism as a whole.
Ref:SE Plan para 6.5
Amend criteria (vi) to reflect regional guidance in policy TRS5 and Government Guidance in the Good Practice Guide:
vi. Recognising the contribution of holiday chalets, caravans and camping sites to the tourism economy by retaining such sites for holiday use throughout the year (subject to appropriate occupancy conditions), continuing to provide for improvements and upgrading to existing static accommodation sites (including extensions where this will not harm landscape quality or identified environmental assets) and providing for additional touring caravan and camping facilities where relevant environmental criteria are met. Particular attention will be paid to identifying suitable sites for the relocation of holiday parks under threat from coastal erosion or flooding.
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19388
Received: 29/01/2009
Respondent: Rother Environmental Group
Support more emphasis on "green tourism"
Suggest the main mechanism could be a new "Green Tourism" / "Sustainable Tourism" Strategy to be prepared in consultation with, amongst others, local farmers, environmental groups, and accommodation and catering providers.
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19849
Received: 04/02/2009
Respondent: Crowhurst Society
Why are the Task Force and SeaSpace being included here again? Neither are elected and neither are accountable democratically to the electorate. As agencies with known 'interests' they need to be kept at a distance from documents such as this which purport to represent the interests of the RDC electorate alone.
Parish Council not included!
C) Yes. Too little emphasis on the part tourism can play in regeneration -particularly informal amenity use of open spaces.
Need to work to raise the 1066 historical connection- as Bayeux has done!
Development of rural visitor centres in local area- e.g. an ancient farming centre at Upper Wilting! (farmed continuously for 2500years)
Support
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19971
Received: 26/01/2009
Respondent: Rother Valley Railway Heritage Trust
RVR supports the Preferred Strategy (c)(v):-
(v) Rother Valley Railway continues to make progress on the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway extension and will be laying a further 700m of railtrack westwards from Bodiam Station towards Robertsbridge starting in January 2009.
Support
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 20300
Received: 29/01/2009
Respondent: SEEDA
SEEDA supports the overall aims and objectives of the Core Strategy in respect of economic growth.
In accordance with Target 3 of the RES, Box 26 identifies business services, high tech businesses and 'enviro-industries' as those that might potentially play a role in the local economy and identifies a need for a range of employment spaces to accommodate SMEs as well as meeting larger business needs. SEEDA supports this, and the joining up of work programmes through SeaSpace and '1066 Enterprise'.
SEEDA also welcomes the proposal to secure a Vocation Skills Centre at Bexhill which complements Target 6 of the RES and two of the priorities for the Coastal South East.
SEEDA also supports the objective to increase contributions to tourism.
Object
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 20379
Received: 01/12/2008
Respondent: Mr. and Mr M. Partridge
We are very concerned by the ever-returning issue of funding for Rye's public toilets and the threat of closing any of these facilities. All through the year bus loads and trainloads of tourists arrive at Rye Station car park. The first thing that many of these people need is to spend a penny.
When using Rye Grill I have watched people come in and ask to use the toilet because the toilets at the station are closed.
Object
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 20380
Received: 01/12/2008
Respondent: Mr. and Mr M. Partridge
We have had strangers knocking on the door to our private residence, asking to use our toilet because the toilets at the station are closed. We have seen people urinating in the streets. We have had people urinating against our house. We do not like this and we imagine that it puts tourists off coming to Rye when they see this or cannot find a public toilet to use.
Rye needs public toilets.
Object
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 20381
Received: 01/12/2008
Respondent: Mr. and Mr M. Partridge
If Rye does not provide sufficient public toilets it will have a direct impact on our tourism trade, damaging and diminishing the experience of the tourists as well as our quality of life. Coaches will avoid visiting Rye because they cannot use Rye as a "tea and pee stop".
Support
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 20491
Received: 29/01/2009
Respondent: Robertsbridge Enterprise Group
We endorse vigorously the support given for the extension of the Kent and East Sussex Railway. We also endorse the support given for encouragement for accommodation facilities within the area.