People living in a town that currently has only one supermarket have said a discount store is "desperately needed".

Rye residents have pledged their support to Rother District Council after plans were submitted for a new Aldi store at a site in Winchelsea Road.

In the plans, Aldi has proposed knocking down existing warehouse buildings and replacing the site with a new food store and car park.

It is part of a bigger redevelopment programme which would also include a retirement block and additional new homes.

READ MORE: Aldi plans to open new supermarket in Rye

Since the plans were made public, residents of the town have pledged their support for the supermarket.

One person said: "This is very much needed for the local residents to have affordable food shopping within walking distance."

Someone living in Camber, just a few miles from the town, said: "I would welcome this addition to Rye.

"As a Camber resident for ten years and having to travel at least 30 minutes in any direction to find an affordable supermarket for my weekly family shop, this would be great."

Another supporter told the council: "I fully support this.

"It would be a great asset to the town and would not only provide jobs but also some much-needed price competition to the current local supermarket."

One person, who lives close to the site, also said it would help people cope in the current cost-of-living crisis.

They wrote to the council: "This development is desperately needed in Rye to provide competition, lower prices, more consumer choice and to help combat the cost-of-living crisis."

Despite overwhelming support for the supermarket, some concerns have been raised to Rother District Council over the plans and the impact they could have on the town if approved.

One objector said: "I am totally against a supermarket on this site, the proposal of 120 car spaces and opening hours of 7am until 11 pm is a definite no.

"The chaos that traffic will cause from an extra estimated 500 cars a week will change the character of Rye forever in a negative way and is out of scale with its surroundings.

"Light pollution, noise pollution and traffic pollution will turn the town into just another urban redevelopment."

A decision on whether to approve the plans will be made by September 5.