Rother District Council Leader: New powers could give a boost to our high streets

Thriving high streets are extremely important to communities and the local economy and we everything in our power to support businesses across Rother.

So, we were delighted with the Government’s announcement that councils would be given powers to bring persistently vacant commercial properties back into use and support the regeneration of high streets.

Empty shops have such a negative impact on town centre, and we were keen to get to work on developing a plan to bring long-term empty shops in Bexhill back into use – this would be a pilot scheme and will be used to develop future schemes across the district.

With a plan drafted, we are now asking the public to give their views.  Feedback and evidence and learning from other authorities will be considered by Cabinet and a decision taken on how we proceed.

It’s important that we make our decision with as much information as possible and I would encourage people to take part by visiting  https://www.rother.gov.uk/consultations/high-street-rental-auctions/

Making sure development in Rother benefits the district and helps communities flourish is an extremely important part of the council’s work.

Mandatory housing targets set by Government call for 912 homes to be built in our district every year – a total of more than 15,000 up to 2042.

This is a huge ask for a district constrained by the High Weald National Landscape and protected habitats, and we have been clear that we cannot realistically meet the full target.

But it is important that we have a plan in place.  A plan that will help us ensure that any new homes built do not impact the qualities that make Rother such a great place to live, work and visit.

We are currently consulting on our Local Plan which sets out where new homes, jobs and infrastructure could be delivered.

Without this plan, decisions on development could be made by government, taking away local control.

I would encourage members of the public to share their view on the Local Plan which includes proposals for affordable housing, climate-friendly development, protection for nature and the environment and infrastructure to support local communities.

The consultation is open until Tuesday, November 24.  To take part visit www.rother.gov.uk/draftlocalplan

Housing developments done well can add a lot to our district.

I was delighted to learn that Tapestry in Battle has been shortlisted for the Best Development Award at the Inside Housing Development Awards.

Rother DC Housing Company’s flagship housing development was a long-time in the making due to the significant challenges the site presented and the impact of the economy.

Tapestry will provide 200 energy-efficient homes including 70 homes for sale and 130 for shared ownership and affordable rent. 

We’ll have to wait until the end of November to find out the winner, but being shortlisted is testament to the strength of partnership working on this major project.