Valley Park facts and background

The housing estate was built on a Greenfield site off Udimore Road after a Government planning enquiry overruled stong local objections.

There is planning permission for 137 homes on the estate of which 54 have been sold to Orbit Housing Association as affordable housing.

The slump in the housing market has meant that private homes on the site are not selling as fast as expected.

Mr Thomas, addressing a meeting of Rye Town Council, said: “There is an imbalance at the moment but all the houses built from now on will be for private occupation.”

Concerns had been raised by Rye councillors about problem families from other areas being relocated to Valley Park but this was refuted by Rother Council housing officer Anne Fennessy, who said: “Apart from three families, all those living at Valley Park come from Rye.

There have been complaints about anti-social motorbike riding in the Valley Park area and of rubbish being dumped in a watercourse in Old Brickyard, which is used, pedestrians, to access Valley Park.

Old Brickyard resident’s spokesman Andy Wood said: “Littering in the drainage ditch is still a problem that needs to be addressed.

“Old Brickyard is a public footpath but we are getting vans and maintenance vehicles from Valley Park using it.”

Mr Thomas says that a gate has now been re-instated with special motorbike restrictors installed.

He said: “We have to maintain access for Environment Agency vehicles so they can get to the river course and clean it out.”

Police have recently taken effective action against anti-social motorbike riders in the Valley Park and Tilling Green areas. One bike had his machine confiscated.

There are currently 2,000 people on Rother District Council’s social housing list.

The demand for houses is increasing by 100 applicants a month at the current rate says Rother.

Rye and Rother councillor Sam Souster said: “The Government has now removed the criteraia where developers were obliged to provide affordable housing,

“This should be of real concern to everyone .”