Rother Local Plan 2020-2040 (Regulation 18)

The vision for Rye is too narrow and makes no reference to housing. The town is very constrained with limited areas to develop on. Existing sites identified for development such as Winchelsea Road (West Side) should be required to make best and most efficient use of the land by increasing density on these previously developed sites.

The pending planning applications (RR/2024/949/P & RR/2024/960/P & RR/2024/976/P) demonstrate that at least 16no. dwellings, 44no. retirement living apartments and 1863sqm of class E commercial space can be accommodated on the site and that this increase in density is deliverable and acheivable on the Winchelsea Road (West Side). The Council should be making the most of these deliverable sites given that many of the other Rye Neighbourhood Plan sites have failed to come forward for development during the plan period.

There is significant demand by local stakeholders for small family units (3 beds), smaller units for young people (1 & 2 beds) and for residents looking to downsize. This allows the density of development in sustainable sites close to the town centre to increase.

The vision for Rye should include the provision of an additional supermarket in the town which the current planning application for Aldi RR/2024/976/P will deliver. There is significant demand for such an enterprise within the town.

Given this we consider that the numbers for residential units and employment floor space outlined in Figure 28 for the Winchelsea Road (West Side) should be increase in line with the yields proposed under the three current planning applications on the site (RR/2024/949/P & RR/2024/960/P & RR/2024/976/P).