Fears new homes being built in Rye will be too expensive for local people or end up as Airbnbs took up much of the Rye Town Council meeting on Monday December 9. Concerns about new developments were raised during a discussion on the updated Rye Neighbourhood Plan, with councillors also hearing worries about the future of the artists at the Rye Creative Centre.
Cllr Gilbert told the meeting there was an urgent need for housing for those on a minimum wage. “We must support people working in the care industry or hospitality by making sure there are local homes for local people. What we don’t need is another 200 shoe boxes that will end up as second homes.” Research by the council suggests there are currently over 400 second homes and Airbnbs in Rye.
With three different developers looking at sites in Rye, Cllr Boyd said any plans should include practical proposals for affordable housing. “We go on and on about it and nothing ever gets done. All we get is four-bedroom homes for people moving down from Fulham.”
The system is broken said Cllr Breeds. "The developers are not building what we actually need. There are so many houses with empty rooms but nowhere for people who want to downsize."
Consultation on the updated Rye Neighbourhood Plan has just finished, with councillors approving the latest version which will now be examined by planners at Rother District Council.
Anthony Kimber described the changes to the Plan which sets out allocated sites for housing in Rye. “We are working on plans for around 200 new homes but there will be pressure for more from the government. Their housing policy has been described to me as 'build build build – and don’t get too bogged down by NIMBYs’. There's also pressure to build new homes with less car parking but this is a rural location - remote from so many facilities and employment found in a larger urban area."
The lack of clarity from the government was also raised with Cllr Creaser calling for more information. "We are flying blind. We need decisions on the housing targets and the support."
The Rye Neighbourhood Plan aims to retain the character of Rye said Anthony Kimber. "We are being pressed for more growth, but that should be within the serious constraints here. The geography, water and flood risk, protected biodiversity and the conservation area - they are all important on development within Rye's boundary."
One of the changes to the Plan is the removal of the need for a petrol station on the Freda Gardham site on New Road. That will now be designated for mixed use as part of the wider development of the old school. The site is currently home to Rye Creative Centre and thirty artists who have been given notice by landlord Martello that the site is expected to demolished and replaced with a housing development.
Paul MacArthur is one of the New Road Artists based at the Creative Centre. "We would like to stay together and currently the only site on offer is on the Harbour Road, where there isn't enough space for parking or events. We all feel very insecure about the future and need help to find a new home."
You can read more on the updated Rye Neighbourhood Plan here. Planners at Rother District Council will decide on any changes in the spring of 2025.
