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Report to: |
Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change
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Date of meeting:
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2 March 2026 |
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By: |
Chief Operating Officer
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Title: |
Playing field adjacent to the Tilling Green Community Centre – decision regarding disposal of the freehold interest
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Purpose: |
Following a marketing period, this report together with an exempt report later in the agenda, sets out offers made and the analysis so that a decision can be made regarding the disposal of the Tilling Green site. |
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Lead Member is recommended to:
2) note the change in external operating context and consequentially agree to retain the asset for alternative future use.
1.1 On 25 September 2025, the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change considered the responses to the public notice of the Council’s intention to dispose of the playing field adjacent to the Tilling Green Community Centre (the site) and approved that the site was to be marketed on the open market by an appointed marketing agent. A record of the decision can be found here: Decision - Playing field adjacent to the Tilling Green Community Centre - outcome of the public consultation of the Council's proposed disposal of the land | East Sussex County Council
1.2 The indicative extent of the site is outlined in red in the plan attached at Appendix 1 to this report. There is no intention to dispose of Tilling Green Community Centre.
1.3 The site is subject to a lease that includes a rolling Landlord break option.
1.4 The site is allocated for housing in the Rye Neighbourhood Plan, the latest version of which can be found here: Rye Neighbourhood Plan – Rye Town Council. 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 subject to public consultation, which is being undertaken by Rother District Council as the Planning Authority.
2 Supporting Information
2.1 The site was marketed on the open market by commercial agency RPC Land and New Homes. Marketing commenced 16 October 2025. Offers were invited to be made on an unconditional or subject to planning basis by no later than noon on 12 December 2025.
2.2 Four offers were received. Two offers were made on a subject to planning basis. Two offers were received on an unconditional basis, and therefore not subject to the grant of planning permission.
2.3 The offers, including conditions and analysis are detailed in an exempt report later in the agenda. The offers appear in order of recommended preference.
2.4 All 4 offers were made on the basis of developing the site for housing.
2.5 However, during the marketing period it has become clear that the new combined authority in Sussex will have a priority workstream for ‘stuck sites’ and that Homes England are interested in taking forward local authority owned sites in a different way. The Tilling Green site therefore now represents an opportunity and is no longer considered to be surplus to the Council’s requirements.
3.1 The Council has considered the offers received following a marketing period. The Lead Member is recommended to review the details of the offers, as set out in a later exempt agenda item.
3.2 Whilst disposal of the site would represent a capital receipt to the Council, the potential future opportunities now available for the site are considered to be a preferable route to pursue.
ROS PARKER
Chief Operating Officer
Contact Officer: Rebecca Lewis
Tel: 01273 335873
Email: Rebecca.lewis@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL MEMBER
Councillor Keith Glazier OBE – Rye and Eastern Rother
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
None