RYE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP 43rd MEETING

Transcription

1 RYE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP 43rd MEETING Monday 10 October 2016 at 6.30pm in the Tilling Green Centre Present: Cllr Jonathan Breeds (JB) (Mayor and Chair), Colonel Anthony Kimber (AK) (Vice Chair and Secretary), Cllr Cheryl Creaser (CC), Cllr Pat Hughes (PH), Frank Palmer (FP), Mike Eve (ME), Prof Burton Rosner (BR), Richard Farhall (RF) (Town Clerk). Apologies: Canon Richard Orchard (RO),Cllr Berni Fiddimore (BF), Cllr Shaun Rogers (SR), Cllr Ray Prewer (RP), Cllr Andy Stuart (AS), Dan Lake (DL), Heidi Foster (HF), Item Discussion Issues Action 1. Introduction AK took the chair. 2. Accuracy of previous minutes and Matters Arising and Reporting. 3. The Draft RNP and supporting documents 1 Minutes of the 42nd meeting were AGREED. AK pointed towards his last update for the Rye TC P&T Committee, which was on the website (The Meetings Page). This covered all recent developments. Documents remain on the website (The About page). RNP Version 7A is HERE In two parts. The revised Housing Needs Assessment is now part of the Appendices. Work continues to reflect Rother DC Officers advice to fully implement the AECOM and AIRS recommendations; to refine the policies to provide more bite. Design Statement: There was discussion about the need for this. A draft remains in V7A Part 2 but needs more work. It was AGREED that as the RNP included design considerations of each identified site further work should cease and a general statement incorporated into the Design Section of the main RNP. AK was seeking a meeting with the Rother DC Design Officer to talk further about this. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA): Comments by Rother DC are being addressed. Site Assessment Document: More work is required on the options, traffic and heritage. Consultation Statement is being drafted by BR and RO to summarise the public consultations: with whom, how and the result. The Basic Conditions Statement. The first draft of this compliance statement is on the website. CIL: At the last Rye TC Meeting an infrastructure project list was agreed, which will now be put to Rother DC. Habitats Regulations Assessment Rother DC officers had advised that provided that the Plan conforms to the Core All

2 Strategy then it can be considered that the Rother HRA applied. Progress towards Regulation 14 consultation. The intention remained to complete the draft Plan by end October 2016 and then circulate within Rye Town Council ready for submission to Rother DC by end e 4. A review of the Plan and Current Issues These dates were now being driven by the need to dovetail work with that by Rother DC Officers on the Development and Site Allocations Plan (DaSA). This would form Part 2 of Rother DC s Local Plan, and would develop the spatial strategies and core policies set out in the 'Core Strategy' (Part 1 of the Local Plan). It would do this by reviewing existing site allocations and development boundaries, and by allocating specific areas of land for particular uses in line with the development provisions of the Core Strategy. Those completed Neighbourhood Plans would be taken as evidence in this work. Housing: Core Strategy: Provide between dwellings net additional dwellings between 2011 and Opportunities for growth will primarily be sought within the built up area of Rye; AK summarised the approach retained in the Plan, with development dispersed across Rye in: Valley Park; Tilling Green School; Lower School Site; Winchelsea Road; Rock Channel; Freda Gardham and opportunity development on small sites (such as Dead Man s Lane and Ferry Road Nursery) as they become available in numbers which reflect historical figures (around 33 over the planning period). This approach was again AGREED. However, given the uncertainty with several sites it was also AGREED that the Plan must reflect flexible options but also the ability to meet the overall target for 400 new dwellings (net 160 after commitments and Rye Harbour 40 is deducted) over the planning period. A review of the strategy is below. 2 - Valley Park: an additional 10 dwellings in the area of the existing 5 phases ( subject to planning proposal). - Tilling Green: along the lines of that proposed by

3 Amicus Horizon, but could include housing for the older person, as there was demand for this category. Any proposal should include measures to provide a community facility. - Lower School Site: although there were two proposals on the table housing and education the four options to include commercial and other such as parking were to the reflected. Both proposals were being developed. Iceni planned to hold a public consultation event later this month. Rye Academy Trust had produced a written plan but had yet to put in the Public Domain. - Winchelsea Rd: mixed development but emphasis on design and height to reflect this important gateway into Rye. - Rock Channel: mixed development with concern for quality design, height, access and flood risk mitigation. - Freda Gardham Site: Mixed development options but focused onto the area covered by the present buildings, the green area immediately to the south and to include the old swimming pool. The green area currently leased to the Rugby Club would be excluded. There should be concern about flood risk, planting, design and access. The retention of the existing school building should be encouraged. Business: Core Strategy: Retain the centre of Rye as the main focus for retail and services for the town, and increase the choice of convenience shopping in Rye by facilitating the increase of some 1,650 sq m net additional convenience floorspace within or adjacent to the town centre; ME underscored the need for measures to provide jobs. AK explained that the Plan underscored a four point strategy to encourage spatial measures for: business in the core area of Rye; micro business (requiring less footfall) in the area around the Citadel; fishing and maritime related activities in the Rock Channel; heavier business in Rye Harbour where spatial development was underway. In addition the Plan addressed the specific target to identify space for convenience shopping. Although options for the last were limited. It was also noted that no supermarket had stated an intention to come to Rye. 3

4 However, the target for additional convenience shopping space remained. The Plan identified two possibilities: the Lower School Site and Freda Gardham, with a top up facility at Skinners Garage location. As there were now counter proposals for the former and the latter was in the East of Rye (away from the majority of the population), AK suggested that the Group reconsider Gibbet Marsh (Rother DC site). After discussion it was AGREED that to provide an additional option to meet the target this site should be included in the Plan. A sequential test would indicate that priorities would identify the sites in the following order: Lower School Site; Gibbet Marsh and Freda Gardham. The Skinner s Garage site would be an additional top up facility but that parking and access would need to be addressed, as even without any expansion, access to the present facility risks accident and injury. Traffic and Parking: ME underscored the need to think multi storey for parking solutions, in order to maximise land use. It was generally agreed that with the necessary investment such schemes could be achieved in the area to the east and south of the railway station. The Plan addresses this. PH said that she was not content with the draft traffic aspirations as set out in the Plan. She cited the aspiration to re-route the A259 across the Strand as being too ambitious, too expensive and with too much impact. AK underscored the need to address traffic issues raised by the community. He said that all the traffic aspirations reflected much discussion and consideration since 2013, (including a special meeting to consider PH s earlier concerns) had drawn heavily on past studies, were intended to be ambitious. Not to include them would leave the Group open to criticism that the Plan failed to address community concerns. It was AGREED that PH would commit her concerns to paper and circulate them. AK would also consult the Traffic Working Group for a view. 5. Sub Groups AK had made no progress with securing any further consultancy to refine the documents or finalise the plans. AK 6. AOB AK asked about ARRCC and its future location. He pointed to a letter from CEO ARRCC to the Mayor, which was not readily recognised. AK would forward. 4 Rye Hospital Neighbourhood Hub: AK reported that he was

5 to meet Barry Nealon about this to consider what impacts there might be for the Plan. High Speed Rail Link: There was discussion about the parking impacts of the proposed High Speed rail link. It was AGREED that the Plan should consider this within the scope of existing car parks. Planting: AK reported that he was in contact with Dr Stephen Clift (Valley Park) about planting initiatives across Rye. AK would reflect in the Plan. Salehurst Plan: AK reported that the Plan was undergoing Reg 14 consultation and as there were no direct impacts, that he and the Town Clerk would comment. AK indicated that there would be a meeting of the Eastern Rother Tidal Walls Scheme Contact Group and that he would report back. A public event as being planned but the date was TBC. BR asked about the Leisure Centre and how it fitted in with the Education Quarter concept. There was discussion about the importance of the Centre for the Rye Community as a whole with FP and CC both summarising their parts in its development. It was noted that since the difficulties of 2015, there were fresh contracts for management of the facility. 7. Future Events/Dates Next RNPSG: TBC subject to progress with the drafts. All Anthony Kimber PhD Vice Chair RNPSG 11 October