Planning
Now there is a word to conjure with. I thought it meant planning, but councils don’t seem to grasp the fact that it is not just for today but for the future that real planning comes into its own. Rye is a very old town and to live on into the future it must breath and to do that it must move on and grow a little.
There is little room left in the town for homes to be built. So where to go? Rock Channel is out, its very low and could flood. East Guildford way would not help to pull the town together. Rye Hill? I don’t think so, Playden is not Rye and should stay separate. The real area for Rye to grow in during the next 100 years is Cadborough Farm, joining up New Winchelsea Road and West Undercliff.
Roundabout
There have been many chances in the past 20 years for those responsible to sort out some of the towns road problems. Areas around the Martello Tower and the top of the Harbour Road have all come up for sale in that time. The piece of land between Sea Cruisers and the Harbour Road, which was the old railway track, has been controlled by the council throughout the period. Just think, with a little foresight at the time the Harbour Road problem could have been solved. A round about going round the Martello Tower, now that would have put Rye on the map. This would have made easy access to Rye, Rye Harbour and to a small estate pulling the houses off Rye Road and the Mill together.
Now a more pressing problem, a car park for Rye. Oh dear! another can of worms. Put the coaches down at Rye Harbour. Horror the road! Its a good job today’s planners were not around in the days the Harbour Road was single track with passing places and lorries were going up and down in much greater numbers than they do today. Sainsbury have blown out. Who owns the old Ferry Road School site? The Council of course. So come on Rye, who is it that really owns the site? It belongs to Rye. How could they ever think of putting a shop or houses there. Its the perfect site for a proper car and coach park for the town.
Will the Cattle Market Survive?
The way things are going for farmers there will not be a cattle market in Rye in 25 years time. No doubt the market car park will be lost and the ground will be sold off for building development. I do not think it will be developed as a supermarket because by that time the new awareness of people to the short comings of multiple stores will have grown and more will demand a return to the personal service offered by small specialists shops where you don’t have to buy two batteries when you only need one and goods are not disguised with masses of flashy unnecessary wrapping.
A Real Policeman
I saw a real live policeman in the High Street the other day. Obviously lost as his home down the bottom was shut!!!
Jimper
“Rye’s Own” August 2000
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