As part of the process of renewal of Rye College by Aquinas Trust, in addition to extensive renovation of parts of the building, the College is planning to upgrade its games and exercise facility with the construction of a multi use games area on the playing field at the rear of the school. Often known as a MUGA, it consists of a hard playing surface that is not effected by weather.
Approximately the size of a football pitch, the plan is to contain activity, such as flying balls, within its boundaries by surrounding with a 5 metre high fence including rebound netting. To make it usable at times of limited daylight, it can be lit by floodlights mounted on 15 metre columns.
In addition to normal school hours, defined in the planning application (RDC reference number RR/2019/785/P) as 8am to 5:30pm from Monday to Friday, the facility will be also available for community use up to 10pm on weekdays as well as 8am to 6pm at weekends. There will doubtless be several sports clubs in Rye that could be interested in this.
Although the application has been presented to Rother, it has not yet appeared on the list for consideration by the Town Council Planning Committee. In view of the scale of the development and the question of potential light pollution, this development, however useful, could be the subject of some controversy and it is possible that, with elections imminent, the Council might feel that it is best considered by a post-election committee.
This is the second major sports development to be proposed in recent times. The application for the Tennis Club to construct a new building to provide three indoor tennis courts is still under consideration.
Image Credits: John Minter .
I would ask what happens to the existing one or has it already gone? Or will we have two?