With the planning application for the Winchelsea Road development officially submitted, Rye News will be following the story with all the latest updates and opinion pieces written by local people. If you would like to write about the prosed new homes and Aldi do get in touch: info@ryenews.org.uk.
This week’s opinion piece is by Chris Cooper.
I am writing to send you a copy of an email that I have sent to Rother District Council as I believe that the issue of adding further potential traffic problems to the A259 is of far further reaching consequence for Rye than the very localised discussion points merely focussed on to date.
What appears to be a good thing for Rye right now, e.g. a cheaper supermarket such as Aldi, masks a potential calamity for the town long term.
There would be a significant increase into the town of traffic at the very time when it is already getting worse and worse.
Inland, away from Rye, is the only workable solution for the location of a supermarket. This would draw traffic away from Rye and help to preserve the beauty of the town.
I really believe that we all need a wake up call.
This is my letter:
I am writing in connection with the the following planning applications:
RR/2024/976/P (Aldi)
RR/2024/960/P (Decimus)
RR/2024/949/P ( McCarthy and Stone )
THIS IS TOTALLY THE WRONG LOCATION
A DISASTER FOR THE A259 AND FOR RYE
I would like to raise some serious concerns about these proposed developments, relating to using a site and access on to the main road that runs through Rye, the A259.
The A259 has a problematic history that goes back more than fifty years. It is the main coastal road that unfortunately still has to pass through Rye as there is no alternative route.
Many years were spent looking for ways to bypass Rye but no viable solution could be found. As each year passes Rye suffers more and more from the traffic overload that passes through.
Why therefore add in a potential ROAD BLOCK to the A259 which will affect the entire THROUGH TRAFFIC causing backups throughout the town.
For the future of Rye this development must happen in a different location inland towards Udimore to keep extra traffic out of Rye . THIS IS A SERIOUS DECISION that could put a nail in the coffin for our beautiful town of Rye.
Also local shops will be affected and some may be driven out of business. Please can you raise my concerns through the right channels.
Yours faithfully,
Christopher Cooper (local resident)
Image Credits: Harris Partnership .
Chris, as a resident who accesses the A259 on a daily basis as do I, is right to express concerns about additional traffic. In my view however, the answer lies in proper assessment of the potential increase and subsequent proper traffic management. Many have pointed out that up to 4 articulated delivery lorry movements may happen each day, the site has been used as a haulage yard with dozens of lorry movements up until a few months ago so that’s an improvement. Much of the anticipated traffic to the proposed new store will actually be current traffic passing the site to go shopping in Hastings so that may not be as disruptive as thought. Much of it will be driving there instead of to Jempsons so that could actually improve town centre congestion. Imagine the traffic issues there would have been when the old lower school site was proposed.
Finally, Chris makes an assumption that those with the highest need of a low cost supermarket would be able to travel ( more cars on the road ) to an inland, out of town site
Of course there will be pros and cons but I favour the supermarket option if only for the benefit of the high proportion of low income residents in Rye
Hello Simon .
Thank you for your reply .
You are absolutely correct when you say that an Aldi would be excellent for those who would be passing the site anyway ; eg
because they otherwise would go to Hastings .
It is a very complex issue with many logistical problems additionally .
I believe that it is a good site for affordable accommodation as there is very little that is available for people who wish to find a job in Rye or indeed people who are already working in Rye .
My main fear for Rye is that an Aldi , especially of the size proposed ( designed to attract people as far afield as Hastings ) will become a Mecca for shoppers from the surrounding area , particularly from Camber ( where there are high prices ) and the number of additional vehicles on the A259
could be really high and create real
devastation , especially considering the
restricted access to the proposed site .
There will be accidents and then of course the whole town will be gridlocked and any cars on the site will be captive for maybe long periods .
The fact that the site has been used for many years by the large haulage lorries does not automatically mean that it was satisfactory .
The massive Longrake Spar lorries ( 40 ton ) and the transport lorries for mobile homes which come and go regularly
are not part of this particular discussion
but have to be considered as part of the equation of the traffic problems of the A259 in relation to Rye town .
On the question of people supposedly walking to the proposed new Aldi site
I believe that only those who live in the nearer part of Rye will actually walk .
Those who live further away such as Tilling Green or further across Rye will almost certainly come to shop in their cars especially if they have children and lots of shopping .
If there were an Aldi further inland then it would make perfect sense to have a regular
bus service from a central point in Rye , somewhat on the lines of Canterbury .
I just know that Rye will become an Aldi destination at the expense of our beautiful town which will go the way of many other
lovely places and just become a mess .
Having said all this it may be that Rother
District Council makes a decree that overrides any rational thinking in the light of the new governments proposals .
Really appreciated your input Simon .
Chris
The Aldi development in Rye is no ordinary planning application, and for that reason local Councillors on Rother planning committee need to insist on a “planning assessment” to consider ALL aspects, not just planning, e.g. transport, congestion, environment etc. etc. and yes, the impact of the A259. That also should involve County! Get MP involved now!
I would further suggest that if the development is to contain apartment’s they should consider younger residents who are searching for a home, just maybe someone will actually decide what cost is meant by the term “affordable”.
I am not against competition in business, but this development is no ordinary one for a town like Rye. We should also consider our environment, we still have petrol cars, what about our atmosphere! I presume this application will be heard at The Town Council!
The numbers in Aldi’s own report point to at least 1000 cars a day- up to 3000 cars a day extra. Their transport specialist claims 2/3 of these vehicles are “secondary” – ie would be passing Aldi anyway. However, Aldi admitted to me that the only way they can make this store profitable, given the population is too small for their usual requirements, is to have customers be attracted into Rye from as far as Hastings. This is because Rye Aldi will be even larger and with more parking than Hastings. Indeed, Chris, this will lead to a complete gridlock at peak periods in the day.
I’m sorry to disagree with Chris who lives close to the site but, on balance, I think the development is ‘a good thing’ for Rye.
Recent visits to Ore Aldi has shown several of the shoppers to be from Rye, so those trips by car would be cancelled.
The point about a low cost supermarket, as well as provided much needed competition to Jempsons, would be that it would be less than 15 minutes walk to most of the town.
The idea of an alternative site out of town would require more car journeys, as well as spoiling the landscape.
I agree that the housing should be much more ‘affordable’ that is within the reach of a teacher or nurse. There should also be a proportion to rent by a Housing Association or Local Authority, not private ‘buy to rent’ landlords.
As to the retirement apartments I think that market is already catered for and the local care companies do not have sufficient staff to provide the inevitable need for carers.
Better to provide small apartments for young first time buyers or renters.
A lot of the content in the above comments is speculative and does not really add anything to the discussion other than subjective thoughts with no real facts to back them up. It gives me no pleasure in agreeing with the current government that the country is held back by nimbyism and well meaning but outdated planning laws that are used to thwart any progress. The status quo is ‘if I don’t like it, I will dream up real or imagined problems to stop it (especially if it’s competition or in my back yard). There are also far to many Quango’s with far to much authority, perceived or otherwise interfering overtly or covertly with decision making. The Environment Agency, Natural England, Highways England, utility companies etc etc. Each has their own agenda (and their rice bowl to fill) and need to prove they are the ‘experts’.
The vast majority of Rye citizens would welcome a cheaper source of food. But we know there are certain elements that for commercial and/or personal reasons would keep the status quo when it comes to that provision.
As the great Shell Oil man said, only when problems are considered solution opportunities will we progress.
I for one will be walking/ cycling to the new Aldi rather than drive to Hastings. So that’s one car journey through Rye no longer needed.
And on the housing issue, there’s no such thing as affordable housing in Rye. Only council owned housing could help make a difference.
Sadly the truth of the matter is no location in Rye will satisfy the Nimbys around us.
Your spot on John if some people get there way rye will stay
Ancient town of Rye.
I believe it’s in the right part of town I remember when Tenterden applied for Tesco’s a many people opposed it saying it’s in the wrong place and other comments against it now look at it thriving and very popular
Vic v
I have to say I am puzzled by the claim that Aldi’s marketing advisors have stated that it is counting on people being drawn from Hastings to shop in Rye. There is already an Aldi store in Ore which shoppers would have to pass in order to visit a similar one in Rye. There is in addition a large Aldi store on the way to Bexhill not far from Hastings. Not only but also, work is well underway on the building of 151 new homes (includine some Housing Association homes) in Harrow Road St Leonards on the site of the old Ashdown House building with the construction a large Aldi store planned upon their completion later this year. Planning was granted in 2023. I don’t believe therefore too many would drive all the way to Rye for low cost shopping but I do believe many Rye people will stop driving to Hastings.
My comment is regarding South Undercliff (and B2089) specifically in regards to the traffic. Please, please, please can double yellow lines be implemented before this development happens?
Plenty of shoppers will be coming from that direction and the gridlock will only worsen if this isn’t resolved.
Two Aldi supermarkets to the west of Rye have access directly on to the A259, they seem to manage the traffic okay without lights or mini roundabouts.