Dear Mr Howlett,
Thank you for your letter regarding the Environment Agency’s land ownership and flood defence work in Rye. [Editor’s note: John Howlett had argued that five year leases and the need for better flood defences on the Eastern bank of the Rother were holding up development]
With regards to your first point, we do not have a policy of limiting the length of leases we negotiate with tenants to no longer than five years. We are always willing to work with customers to negotiate a lease that is suitable to their needs. Rye Town Council and Rother District Council are both represented on the Harbour of Rye Advisory Committee, which regularly meets to discuss both the running of the harbour and our role in the town more generally.
In response to your second point, the Folkestone to Cliff End Strategy outlined the schemes required to reduce flood and erosion risk to Romney Marsh over the next 100 years. The schemes will protect the 14,500 properties, 700 businesses and large areas of agricultural land at risk of flooding on Romney Marsh.
The project to improve defences on the east of the Rother through Rye is currently underway and the appraisal and outline design will be completed by summer 2016. Construction is currently scheduled for completion in 2021.
Where developments are proposed in Rye, we will work with developers and local authorities to secure the betterment of Rye. We will work to ensure sustainable solutions can be identified, as well as promoting development that is safe and takes into account the risk of flooding we plan to hold a local engagement group meeting in the autumn of this year and further public consultation on the works will be taking place. Details will be announced in local press and newsletters, which we will be publishing regularly during the development of the project.
If you would like to find out further information or sign up to our Folkestone to Cliff End Strategy newsletter, which covers progress on the schemes, please email: romneyschemes@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Kind regards,
Andrew Pearce, Environment Agency Area Manager (Kent and South London)