Social housingback-log in Rye

Cllr Glazier believes the sale of the former Tilling Green School will help ease the problem and provide a new community facility for residents.

He said: “The old school building is currently costing Rye Partnership money to run.”

Bidding for the site opens on January 6 and a marketing booklet is available from the county council.

Cllr Glazier said: “The council will be open to bids which will be judged and assessed by officers.

“The county council has put someone in the building who can answer questions.”

Addressing concerns over flood risks at the site, Cllr Glazier said: “Issues such as flood risk will be dealt with during planning.

“It will all be subject to a planning application where people will be able to comment.”

He added: “This is a good news story for Rye. If people get behind it we can have an affordable and sustainable facility for Tilling Green. It will be an opportunity to draw down as much as we can for Rye.”

Cllr Mary Smith said: “The idea of an independent person overseeing things would be good.

“We are concerned about the type of housing that could be going there and getting the right facilities for the people of Tilling Green.”

Anthony Kimber said: “There are lots of tensions at Tilling Green - the needs of the community, the need for the developer to make money and the needs of the county council.”