Planning is frequently a contentious issue, and Richard Wilson, who manages Rother District Council’s Development Strategy and Planning, will be discussing how the town council can contribute to the planning process this coming Monday, February 27, at the Planning Committee’s meeting in the Town Hall from 6:30pm.
The meeting (like the Town Meeting next Wednesday March 1 at Tilling Green Community Centre in Mason Road from 6:30pm) is open to the public, and they can speak. Rother’s planning meetings have only recently allowed public speakers on certain, but not necessarily all, controversial proposals.
Concern has been expressed that planning applications to Rother do not get discussed if “they tick all the boxes”, as challenges to planning decisions can be costly and time consuming and Rother, like many councils, has had to cut staff.
However, the Town Council was concerned that Rother seemed to ignore its concerns over additional housing in Deadmans Lane, from Rye Hill to Love Lane, which many see as being very dangerous because it is poorly lit and is mainly without a pavement for pedestrians.
On the other hand Rother has worked closely with the town on the drafting of Rye’s Neighbourhood Plan.
Plans for housing on the Lower School site behind the railway station will be contentious because of the additional traffic, possible flooding problems, and the site entrance being right by the level crossing in Ferry Road, and this may become an issue.
A more immediate issue though may be the proposed indoor tennis courts along Military Road.
Photo: Rye News library
Image Credits: Rye News library .
I do not understand why the ‘unused’ land with its poor fencing on the right hand side of Deadmans Lane doed not have a compulsary purchase order. It is in my view the obvious place for a proper pavement. Thus making Deadmans Lane so much safer.
I agree with Pamela Buxton. The landowner on the south side of Dead Man’s Lane need only sacrifice 2-3 metres of rough scrub and ill-kempt, ill-managed woodland to make the one-way roadway safe for pedestrians.
If the ESCC Highways again fails to intervene in the planning process (for more houses to the north of the Lane) any future incident in the roadway will be its direct responsibility.
Perhaps in this election year Keith Glazier would like to personally add his considerable influence on behalf of his constituents and their quality of life. This is not an initiative that will cost the ESCC money. The projected new houses would have to absorb the costs themselves, to make their plans acceptable to health & safety.
No doubt when these new houses are built,north of deadmans lane, they will once again end up as weekend homes, time for the Rye neighbourhood plan, to call a referendum, so hopefully all new homes built in the town, are actually lived in 24/7, and these people who wish to live here, also contribute to the community.
I would just like to warn people entering deadmans lane, the wall at the top of the lane on the south side, is in a shocking state, and could collapse at anytime,please enter lane with caution.
It is reported that, as a prerequisite for planning consent. the developer of the existing new homes in Deadmans Lane had planned to build a pavement down the lane. He was presumably very happy that the Council appear to have failed to enforce this. The prospect of yet more houses with access onto the narrowest part of this hazardous lane and close to the well-used footpath, will inevitably lead to more accidents.
I walk my 8 year old son along Deadman’s Lane each morning from the entrance of the steep footpath to Love Lane. Each time I walk in fear of a non-attentive driver mowing us down. Other ways are a considerable detour – and more favourable than walking the narrow footpath along the steep Rye Road where vehicles travel usually between 30 and 40 mph. I am also often accompanied by another family walking with 4 children of primary school age.
1. Deadman’s Lane should be a 10mph zone.
2. This single track lane is the only direct road into Rye from the North – it is permanently busy – how can the council live with itself for not enforcing and building a pavement?????
3. If I were the land owner to the south – I would donate a strip to make the pavement happen.
4. I use this opportunity to say that Rye in general is pedestrian and bicycle unfriendly, and does not offer enough wide pavements – and yes there is actually space even in the narrower streets. Why should you feel vulnerable because of non-thinking drivers driving at speeds inappropriate to the situation?
5. 20 mph zone throughout the town and along the roads for some distance leading into the town please – we all know a significant proportion of drivers travel up to 40 in a 30 zone etc etc.