Rye Tennis Club is planning to add to their already-impressive facilities in Military Road, by constructing three new indoor courts on recently acquired land at the northern end of the existing grass courts.
Currently, the club has eight grass courts (which can only be used during the summer months) and just three open-air hard courts. The new indoor courts would, therefore, double the availability during the non-grass season, as well, the club believe, in helping to attract more younger people to the game. Whilst there are many tennis clubs within a 30-minute drive of Rye, there are few indoor facilities, the nearest being Eastbourne, Folkestone or Tunbridge Wells. In addition to enabling other clubs to use the facility, the Club anticipates that further coaching facilities would be available and also employment opportunities for additional maintenance and ground staff.
The end result, the Club believe, would be to make it into one of the premier racket sports clubs in the south east (squash, padel tennis, table tennis and croquet are already available there) which would be good not only for the club, but also for Rye.
Not everyone, however, sees it like this. This paper has already had a complaint from a householder living opposite the spot where the building housing the new courts would be erected. They have sent us a detailed objection which is too long to repeat in full here but their own precis of this is as follows:
“The structure is extremely large with dimensions of 40m by 60m with a height of 10m. We live in a house opposite the proposed structure and will be objecting on the following grounds:
scale of building out of character for the area with large negative visual impact.
loss of outlook from nearby residential properties.
noise and light pollution.
dangerous access point with entrance on blind bend.
We feel that such a structure would be detrimental to the surrounding area.”
The Planning Committee of Rye Town Council meet this coming Monday, February 27, and while this particular application arrived too late to be included in the agenda, it is possible it may still come up for discussion. If so, we will report further. The full application, together with plans and visuals, can be seen here.
Photos: John Minter
Image Credits: Simon Kershaw .
I believe the actual site for the proposed building is in the parish of Playden, but the tennis club is obviously in the Parish of Rye !
The proposed development is in a field in Playden Parish and therefore that Council will consider it – not Rye Town Council . Playden Parish Council will be meeting at 7.30pm on Thursday 2nd March in the WI Hall in Playden and the application is on the agenda to be considered.
Cllrs Cllr Osborne and Stuart are correct; therefore the proposal is a matter initially for Playden. However the emerging Rye Neighbourhood Plan, despite its support for enhanced sports and leisure facilities, is clear about opposing development proposals which would have the effect of extending Rye into the adjacent green areas of the Marsh. One of the underlying principles of the Plan is that it reflects community wishes to preserve the character of Rye. This proposal is for a significant and bulky structure which, unless screened by very tall greenery, would be very visible. Rye Town Council should consider whether this is the right place for such a development.
Rye NP Steering Group