Fears new homes being built in Rye will be too expensive for local people or end up as Airbnbs took up much of the Rye Town Council meeting on Monday December 9. Concerns about new developments were raised during a discussion on the updated Rye Neighbourhood Plan, with councillors also hearing worries about the future of the artists at the Rye Creative Centre.
Cllr Gilbert told the meeting there was an urgent need for housing for those on a minimum wage. “We must support people working in the care industry or hospitality by making sure there are local homes for local people. What we don’t need is another 200 shoe boxes that will end up as second homes.” Research by the council suggests there are currently over 400 second homes and Airbnbs in Rye.
With three different developers looking at sites in Rye, Cllr Boyd said any plans should include practical proposals for affordable housing. “We go on and on about it and nothing ever gets done. All we get is four-bedroom homes for people moving down from Fulham.”
The system is broken said Cllr Breeds. “The developers are not building what we actually need. There are so many houses with empty rooms but nowhere for people who want to downsize.”
Consultation on the updated Rye Neighbourhood Plan has just finished, with councillors approving the latest version which will now be examined by planners at Rother District Council.
Anthony Kimber described the changes to the Plan which sets out allocated sites for housing in Rye. “We are working on plans for around 200 new homes but there will be pressure for more from the government. Their housing policy has been described to me as ‘build build build – and don’t get too bogged down by NIMBYs’. There’s also pressure to build new homes with less car parking but this is a rural location – remote from so many facilities and employment found in a larger urban area.”
The lack of clarity from the government was also raised with Cllr Creaser calling for more information. “We are flying blind. We need decisions on the housing targets and the support.”
The Rye Neighbourhood Plan aims to retain the character of Rye said Anthony Kimber. “We are being pressed for more growth, but that should be within the serious constraints here. The geography, water and flood risk, protected biodiversity and the conservation area – they are all important on development within Rye’s boundary.”
One of the changes to the Plan is the removal of the need for a petrol station on the Freda Gardham site on New Road. That will now be designated for mixed use as part of the wider development of the old school. The site is currently home to Rye Creative Centre and thirty artists who have been given notice by landlord Martello that the site is expected to demolished and replaced with a housing development.
Paul MacArthur is one of the New Road Artists based at the Creative Centre. “We would like to stay together and currently the only site on offer is on the Harbour Road, where there isn’t enough space for parking or events. We all feel very insecure about the future and need help to find a new home.”
You can read more on the updated Rye Neighbourhood Plan here. Planners at Rother District Council will decide on any changes in the spring of 2025.
Image Credits: KT Bruce , James Stewart , Kenneth Bird .
This figure of 400 homes are second homes and Airbnbs. I would like to know what this number equates to as a percentage of homes in Rye.
Rye’s population is about 4,600. Average household size is 2.4 people, so we can estimate about 1,900 homes in Rye. If 400 of these are second homes and Airbnbs, that means that about 21% of Rye properties are being used for this purpose. This figure tallies with estate agent estimates that about 1 in 5 home sales are for these purposes.
Almost all the proposed new housing in Rye will be sold to wealthy incomers, not local people. The strategic gap must be preserved for Rye’s identity to survive. If I may make a suggestion, I believe the artists at the Creative Centre should investigate relocating to one of the enormous new warehouse spaces just created on Rye Harbour Road. The owners are desperate for tenants. The space there, easily subdivided into studios, would make a superb home for the artists. Building should not occur on flood-prone land in the RH strategic gap.
Hear, hear.
Hi Edward, can you let me know where these warehouse spaces are? The ones at Rastrum are all let and they have told me that they don’t have plans to build more at the moment, thanks, Paula
Total homes in Rye is around 2500.
Anthony Kimber
Rye NP
Sounds an interesting meeting. There are a couple of questions:
Is the ‘research’ available to view? I don’t think research should be quoted if not available for scrutiny – who did it, what was the methodology?
The old chesnut of ‘affordable homes’ is often raised in these debates. It seem to me that in Rye that means £250,000 – £300,000; this may appear to be affordable to many people who bought their properties 30 years ago but not to families on minimum wage who keep the town running. What is needed is social housing on these sites, available at affordable social rents to replace all the homes sold off over the years by local councils.
Rother District Council are like many other District councils, Asset Rich and cash poor, it’s now time they seriously thought about balancing their books,triple Council tax on Airbnb, and second home owners,instead of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
I ventured into Hastings New Town yesterday (Friday) for some essentials: the dreaded sound and sight of suitcases on wheels being dragged into the Old Town by wealthy visitors made for a depressing weekend for locals such as myself. Yes, they may bring revenue with their wealth, but they only patronise the eateries/bars, coffee shops and stores selling expensive fripperies aimed at such people, which we neither want or can afford. Ordinary cafes, shops and pubs continue to struggle, despite our year-round support.
Is our sewage system able to cope with all these new homes. What about another doctors surgery and can the local schools cope with the influx of children of school age.
Should this information be available before the spade goes in the ground.
Correction: The New Road Artists have not been given notice as such.
We currently have Licences to Occupy which give us limited rights and we have received a letter which says that we can continue renting until the end of June 2025. Beyond that we’ll be able to stay on a month by month basis.
Given that there is very little space available for studios it is going to be near impossible to find new accommodation for all of us with only 30 days notice so unless we can find one or more suitable buildings in Rye or Rye Harbour, we will be forced to move further afield, our community will be dispersed and the events, exhibitions and workshops that enrich the wider community (over 100 people per week) will be lost.
If you know of any suitable accommodation please get in touch: newroadartists (at) gmail (dot) com