A new draft of the Island Planning Strategy is set to be agreed for public consultation by councillors and will set the framework for many major planning decisions for years to come.
With policies that will affect the environment, housing, business, transport and more, this is one of the most important documents that shapes the way our Island will work between now and 2038 – the next 17 years.
After an Islandwide consultation in 2018 and 2019, the Isle of Wight Council has made big changes to the proposed plan.
The latest draft is now about to be considered by the Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet, and if councillors agree on the draft plan on 15th July, from the end of the month there will be another chance for Islanders to have their say on the Island Planning Strategy before any decisions are made.
The Draft Island Planning Strategy has a new emphasis on the environment, with more policies aimed at environmental and sustainability issues than any other part of the plan.
In another major change, the planned number of houses to be built has been reduced by 25% from the previous draft, after new evidence and information was researched by the Isle of Wight Council. Suggested new ‘garden settlement areas’ have been removed from the plan entirely, and there is a reduction in proposed building on some greenfield sites.
The result is that in the new draft plan only around 1% of the Island is allocated for residential and employment land.
Also included is plans for over 8 miles of new cycle tracks, including proposals to complete the West Wight to Newport pedestrian and cycle greenway;
James Brewer is one of the council’s planning staff who has been working to prepare the Island Planning Strategy. James explains:
“It’s a big day for us to get this latest draft out for people to see.
“We listened to what the community told us in the last consultation and that really changed the way we approached some aspects of the plan.
“I think people will be pleased that the comments they made back then have actually had a major effect.
“Although there’s an uncertain national picture in planning, I feel this plan is better, more robust and aims to solve real island issues that the community told us about.
“We have drafted a plan that should help provide the right homes in the right places on the Island.
“I would love Island residents to get involved again once the consultation starts at the end of July, because we want to know what everyone thinks of this.
“It’s worth taking a look at the new plan: comments now could affect the way we live on the Isle of Wight for the next fifteen years and beyond. “
Councillor Paul Fuller, portfolio holder for planning and housing, said:
“Planning is not just about deciding on individual cases.
“Every now and again there is a chance to make some big decisions, and the Island Planning Strategy is one of them.
“We know that people overwhelmingly rejected the housing numbers in the last draft plan, and the new council is determined to address this.
“As a result, we have done new research and a lot of work to modify the plan, including the housing numbers and many other aspects.
“We’re doing a longer consultation than we have to – 50% longer than the legal requirement.
“This will allow local councils and residents to be part of the consultation process.
“I hope everybody will take the time to read the new draft, and pass on their thoughts, because even this latest draft is not the final version and changes can be made – so be assured we will be listening.”
All the while money talks, the environment will continue to lose.
NIMBY crowd will be happy, will push their house values up. And they get to moan about the increase of homeless people.
let me guess fred – you are a freeloading benefit sponger that has been a drain on the resources of society from the day you were born until now and will continue to be for evermore.
So basically an admission that they got it wrong.
Cutting house building targets by 25% probably fulfils the numbers they wanted in the first place. Packaging it like this makes it appear they’re reaching out to the great unwashed and keeping the developers happy at the same time. Brilliant!
A first step in the right direction
Or the original numbers were exaggerated to make a reduction appear to be in response to public feedback!!!!
There should be no more house building on the Island fullstop! Yrs & yrs ago I signed a petition that said no more house building on the IW as there’s been far too much already with trees and green spaces now permanently lost to concrete & buildings. It was bad enough back then, so much far far worse now! Something that no one ever mentions also is that the trend to buy a house with a garden and then they build a house on the garden and then sell 2 houses where they bought one. So another green area concreted over. All the infilling of towns with yet more houses is depressing for residents and results in antisocial overcrowding.