Revised plans for the redevelopment of the former school site in Tilling Green by housing association Amicus-Horizon are on display (pictured above) for only a few more days in the entrance area of the building, now used as a community centre. The plans show a number of changes, but still may not be the final version. Planning permission may be sought next month, but talks are still taking place with the Environment Agency about flood risks.
The plans are only on show until the end of this week, August 28, and comments can be sent to lenka.muir@amicus-horizon.org.uk .The changes, in response to comments already made, include a larger hall, similar to the existing one, in the proposed new community centre, increased parking, an entrance for the centre nearer the road, and changes to the height and design of the block of flats.
The centre is currently used by a mix of organisations, commercial and voluntary, including advice services on employment, benefits and health issues ; and is managed by the Rye Partnership, a community organisation concerned with economic development. At least one group has been looking for alternative premises if there is a gap between the old centre being demolished and a new one being constructed. However the plans seem to show that the new centre does not occupy the same part of the site as the existing one so one could be built as the other was demolished, or alternatively work elsewhere on the site could possibly take place while the replacement centre was being built.
But the group looking for other premises also told Rye Partnership, at a meeting for those who hire rooms in the centre, that if they had to move, they might be unlikely to return – possibly affecting the future viability of the centre, particularly if other major users were also lost. At the same meeting another user, who organises computer training, told the Partnership they had nowhere to store all their equipment should there be a gap after the current centre closes. But it is not clear how much information the Partnership has passed on to Amicus.
The Partnership do not intend to either have space in the new centre or to continue running it, but some of their existing projects and services may be taken over by Rother Voluntary Action – who may then need to hire space themselves. In addition new users of the centre may emerge as a result of new housing by the Ferry Road bridge and building continuing at Valley Park, next to Tilling Green, leading to increased demand for services.
Flats in the most recent part of Valley Park are built into the roof line, thus reducing the height of the block, and something similar may be proposed for the Tilling Green site. Building work in Valley Park, now mainly concerned with fitting out homes recently erected near Tilling Green at the bottom of the valley, will move back shortly to the top of the site near the Udimore Road where even more houses will go up.
The new housing will therefore mean even more potential users for the Tilling Green centre, currently the only community facility on that side of Rye. But a question mark remains over any period when no building at all is available for existing users and services.
In the meantime local residents have been looking into setting up a Community Interest Company to run the new centre, once it is built, and a fundraising boot fair for this group is being organised at the former school from 9am on Saturday September 5. For more info on the boot fair, call Dan Lake on 07584 435732.
Charles Harkness is a Rye Town Councillor
Photo: Kenneth Bird
Image Credits: Rother District Council .