Rother District Council (RDC) has approved the National Trust’s change-of-use application for Lamb House.
On April 9 RDC agreed that the residential part of Lamb House could change to a visitor attraction. The approval also covers the next door annex, which will also change from residential use to a visitor attraction as previously covered in Rye News. This means more of the House will be open to the public, including the first floor, initially for five days a week between June and October 2018. The National Trust’s longer-term ambition is to open seven days a week for the season and will continually review the option of opening for 363 days a year.
The planning approval lists a number of restrictions relating to opening times. The House can open only between 11am and 5pm each day. RDC also said that special events could he hosted in Lamb House for six days each year. The special events cannot start before 11am and must finish by 9pm.
In addition, RDC approved that the kitchen can be used to serve hot and cold drinks and pre-prepared cold food but stipulated that food cannot be cooked on the premises.
In a final condition on the planning application, RDC has asked that the National Trust submit more details on the “siting and form of the bins for the storage and recycling of refuse and the collection point”. These details still need to be submitted, and approved, by RDC.
Photos: Kenneth Bird
Well done National Trust: about time this incredible asset to Rye moved forward. Loved the plans when I visited on open day …
On behalf of the Rye and District Association of National Trust, –“A very welcome improvement”
Good for the NT but which philistine allowed the pavement opposite to be redone in yellow concrete paving slabs not original stone?
[Note: this comment has been edited to comply with our Comments policy]
Mr Rogers raises a good point; the new paving in West Street is rather bright but it does appear to be the same material as has been used lower down, so when it has weathered it should be a bit greyer. However, unlike the paving on the Lamb House side, the paving it teplaced was not stone but modern concrete.
Quite why this section was replaced is a mystery. Neither the Highways Forum nor the Conservation Society were aware of the replacement plan until the road closure notices went up. West Street residents were likewise in the dark. I suspect many Rye residents would quite reasonably claim there were and are higher priorities for other areas of poor paving.