Rother Local Plan 2020-2040 (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 26206

Received: 24/07/2024

Respondent: New Road Artists Association

Number of people: 3

ECONOMY – RESPONSE TO Q159 and 160
We very much support the policy ECO2 to support existing economic sites and premises. However there is no recognition in the assessment of Site RYE 0004 (page 78 of the Draft Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA)) that Rye Creative Centre on New Road in Rye is an existing employment site, with premises currently occupied by 35 individual design studios, all of which are fully occupied. This has been the situation since around 2009. If this site is developed only for 30 dwellings as proposed, it would mean a loss of this existing employment site. We feel this is contrary to the proposed policy ECO2 that seeks to retain floorspace currently in employment use. It is also contrary to existing RDC Core Strategy Policy EC3: Existing Employment Sites, which we believe is still extant. There is a proven case that the studio spaces currently provided at Rye Creative Centre are in much in demand by local artists and creative businesses.

We are of the view that the creative industries sector is an important and growing part of Rye’s economy and that the Local Plan should include policies and encourage development that fosters growth of this sector. This sector contributes not only to the local economy but to the attractiveness and uniqueness of Rye as a tourist destination.

Comment

Representation ID: 26213

Received: 24/07/2024

Respondent: New Road Artists Association

Number of people: 3

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND PRINCIPLES – RESPONSE TO Q65/67 and Q84
We very much support the policies in this section (DEV4) that seek to retain sites of community and economic value and that require evidence that there is no prospect of continued use if there are development proposals to replace them. We feel it is very important that this policy is applied to the Rye Creative Centre site, listed as site H7 in Figure 28 of the draft Plan. The assessment of this site in the HELAA must also acknowledge its established use for employment, community and cultural activities. As far as we are aware, Rye Neighbourhood Plan makes no reference to the fact that the site is currently in use for both employment (it provides a base for 35 small creative businesses) and for a variety of community uses and cultural activities. Throughout the Neighbourhood Plan process it was considered purely as a former school site. The RCC site was not treated in the same way as the former Tilling Green School Site, which the Rye NP identified as presently containing community facilities. Accordingly, in that case, the relevant Rye NP Policy H3 makes provision for the community facility to be retained or replaced as part of any development of the site. Any development of the Rye Creative Centre site should contain similar provisions to replace or retain the existing studio/work units and the community facilities.

Comment

Representation ID: 26214

Received: 24/07/2024

Respondent: New Road Artists Association

Number of people: 3

DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND PRINCIPLES – RESPONSE TO Q65/67 and Q84
We very much support the policies in this section (DEV4) that seek to retain sites of community and economic value and that require evidence that there is no prospect of continued use if there are development proposals to replace them. We feel it is very important that this policy is applied to the Rye Creative Centre site, listed as site H7 in Figure 28 of the draft Plan. The assessment of this site in the HELAA must also acknowledge its established use for employment, community and cultural activities. As far as we are aware, Rye Neighbourhood Plan makes no reference to the fact that the site is currently in use for both employment (it provides a base for 35 small creative businesses) and for a variety of community uses and cultural activities. Throughout the Neighbourhood Plan process it was considered purely as a former school site. The RCC site was not treated in the same way as the former Tilling Green School Site, which the Rye NP identified as presently containing community facilities. Accordingly, in that case, the relevant Rye NP Policy H3 makes provision for the community facility to be retained or replaced as part of any development of the site. Any development of the Rye Creative Centre site should contain similar provisions to replace or retain the existing studio/work units and the community facilities.

Comment

Representation ID: 26215

Received: 24/07/2024

Respondent: New Road Artists Association

Number of people: 3

GREEN TO THE CORE – RESPONSE TO Q11 and 12
We strongly support policy GTC3 that seeks to reuse land and buildings wherever feasible and to maintain and enhance local character and distinctiveness. The former Freda Gardham school building is a distinctive and well-loved local landmark. Any development on this site should seek to retain and refurbish this existing building and not demolish it. The Rye Neighbourhood Plan acknowledged the need for a heritage examination of the site as it may hold historical artefacts. It also stated that it is considered suitable for residential and/or mixed development and that there is a variety of substantial former educational buildings which could be incorporated into any scheme.
We therefore feel there is a strong case for retaining the existing Rye Creative Centre building and that it would be consistent with the “green to the core” policies of the draft Plan for the overall development scheme on site RYE0004 to be of mixed use, incorporating employment and community uses on the site as well as residential use. We believe that this shared use aspect would enhance the quality of the development on this site and contribute to the delivery of the wider objectives and the detailed policies in the draft Local Plan.

Comment

Representation ID: 26216

Received: 24/07/2024

Respondent: New Road Artists Association

Number of people: 3

LIVING WELL LOCALLY – RESPONSE TO Q 30/31/32
We support the policies in this section of the draft Plan that seek to implement the 20-minute neighbourhood as we feel that Rye is ideally suited to contributing to this important idea. As we have described above, the current uses of the Rye Creative Centre site currently embody this concept, as the existing building provides locally accessible employment premises and community facilities.
As we have pointed out in our response to other questions in the draft Local Plan, there is no acknowledgment in the assessment of the Rye Creative Centre site (Site RYE0004 in the HELAA) that, as well as being an employment site for 35 businesses since 2009, Rye Creative Centre currently provides a shared community resource with rentable facilities and spaces that are within easy walking and cycling distance of all parts of Rye. The shared facilities at Rye Creative Centre are actively used by the local community for activities such as art and leisure classes, adult and junior choirs, concerts, exhibitions, entertainment and health and well-being activities. This is a cultural and community facility whose current use by all ages makes an important contribution now to the “living well locally’ aims of the Local Plan and in our view, it is important to retain this on this site.