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Report to: |
Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change
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Date of meeting:
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22 April 2025 |
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By: |
Chief Operating Officer
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Title: |
Playing Field Adjacent to the Tilling Green Community Centre, Rye
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Purpose: |
To seek approval to commence consultation under Section 123(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 to consider the future use of playing fields at Tilling Green Community Centre |
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change is recommended to:
2) Note that the responses will be considered at a future Lead Member meeting, where it will then be decided if the Playing Fields should be disposed of.
1 Background
1.1 On 16 November 2021, the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change approved the grant of 30 year leases to Rye Partnership for Tilling Green Community Centre – Decision - Grant of 30-year leases to Rye Partnership for Tilling Green Community Centre, 13 Mason Road, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7BE | East Sussex County Council
1.2 The site is identified in a plan attached as Appendix 1 to this report. The proposed consultation is only to be in relation to the playing field element, which is outlined red in the Appendix.
1.3 Two leases were granted in 2022. One lease relates to the Community Centre building and does not contain any Landlord break options. The other lease relates to the playing fields and includes a rolling Landlord break option. The Landlord break option was considered to be necessary, so that at a future date, the Council could consider options available for the playing field land.
1.4 The site is allocated for housing in the Rye Neighbourhood Plan, which can be viewed here: Current Rye Neighbourhood Plan. It is considered to be appropriate for the development of at least 20 dwellings, subject to various considerations. The community centre is to be retained in-situ.
1.5 The Rye Neighbourhood Plan has recently been reviewed. Rother District Council held the final public consultation, known as the Regulation 16 Consultation, from 24 January to 7 March 2025 and are now collating the representations for the examination, which will begin in April.
1.6 It is therefore considered likely that the site could be disposed of on the open market, in return for a capital receipt.
2 Supporting information
2.1 There is a statutory duty imposed by Section 123(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 to advertise a proposed disposal of Public Open Space and to consider any objections made. The Act specifies that before disposing of any land forming part of an open space, a notice is advertised for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper circulating in the area in which the land is situated. Any objections to the proposed disposal must then be considered.
2.2 The site is not listed as an Asset of Community Value on the register maintained by Rother District Council.
2.3 If the Lead Member approves that the Council commences consultation, it is anticipated that an appropriate notice will be placed in a newspaper in May 2025. The deadline for a response and details as to how to respond, will be included in the notice. The responses received will be reviewed by the Lead Member in summer 2025.
3 Conclusion and reasons for recommendations
3.1 The site is allocated for housing in the Rye Neighbourhood Plan. Disposing of the site at a future date may therefore result in a capital receipt. However, in accordance with the Council’s obligations under Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council must first advertise its intention to dispose of the site and consider any objections. It is therefore recommended that the Lead Member gives approval to commence the appropriate consultation under Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 and is to note that the responses are to be considered at a future Lead Member meeting, prior to any decision being made as to the future use of the site.
ROS PARKER
Chief Operating Officer
Contact Officer: Rebecca Lewis
Tel: 01273 335873
Email: rebecca.lewis@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL MEMBERS
Councillor Keith Glazier
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
None