A councillor who voted against 4 land asset sales passed by an Isle of Wight Council committee last week has lamented an ‘opportunity for Islanders lost, forever’.
The Empowering Islanders group’s Councillor Chris Jarman was the sole opponent on the policy, finance and resources committee (PFRC) of the sale of the Columbine building in East Cowes, the Sandham Middle School site in Sandown, Elmdon, a former care home in Shanklin and the Thompson House site in Gatcombe.
The representative for Totland and Colwell said disposing of the assets to commercial developers under ‘commercially confidential terms’ would obstruct a potential delivery of social rent housing.
He has said:
“In January 2025, full council passed a motion by Empowering Islanders and Conservative Groups that disposal of Isle of Wight Council land assets would be subject to a disposal policy.
“That policy would require each piece of council land to be assessed for delivery, by the council, of social rent housing prior to disposal.
“Officers were directed to complete that policy document and hence ensure that no further sales to commercial developers would rob us of the lands to deliver social rent housing.
“Despite reminders, the policy was not brought to full council for approval, nor were the councillors that proposed the policy even contacted for input.”
Article continues below this advertisement “Instead, it was held back until last week where it was presented with a few days’ notice to the new PFRC.”
Cllr Jarman said the draft (policy) circulated did not comply with the will of the full council motion passed in January and so could not be approved.
His position at the PFRC last week was to delay the discussion on these disposals by just 4 weeks so that it would fall under the new policy.
Such a delay just possibly would have changed the decision from a commercial sale to the council delivering substantial numbers of social rent housing, he added.
A council report on the Columbine Building disposal says a sale would ‘align strongly with the council’s strategic goals of supporting local employment, enabling maritime-related uses and fostering economic regeneration’.
The sale of the former Sandham Middle School site would ensure the delivery of ‘much-needed housing on the Isle of Wight’, a separate report states.
Officers have said the Elmdon site is ‘surplus to the council’s requirements’ and that the preferred bidder, Mr R Bendy, is proposing to redevelop the site for a ‘residential use’.
The selected bidder for the Thompson House site, Strategic Green Land, is looking to build 15 new homes, subject to planning permission, with a ‘contribution toward off-site affordable homes’, according to the council.
Nothing is affordable over here anymore , so many in need of a home , the council waiting list is full, I have several friends in temporary accommodation waiting on “affordable houses “.
Overseas families are being given priority due to their jobs so wrong . I’ve never seen this island so desperate. The isle of Wight council need to wake up and fast
Overseas workers are here shoring up the NHS and nursing homes
due to a hugh amount of the island residents not wanting to work.
A high percentage of those aged between 25-45 will only work a few hours a week , if they work more there benefits drop. Just a bunch of lazy scroungers
Well said.
I thought the Government were cutting benefits,
obviously not!
Paying benefits encourages persons doing nothing.
Universal credit was a bad idea, years ago if you never
had an item that was life.
Nowdays even people on benefits are swanning around
in vehicles, smoking or vaping, drinking and they all own
expensive phones and have a dish on their property.
Whether overseas or not, the persons working
deserve a roof over their head after an hard days
graft.
Some people haven’t done a days work in their life
but expect handouts.
Enough is Enough
Nothing is affordable anywhere in the country
it’s not only on the island, try buying a property in
the big smoke, a 1 bedroom flat in many areas costs
more than a mansion on the island.
Why shouldn’t overseas families not be housed, many of
those are hard working families doing jobs many
local persons don’t want to do.
Don’t be a Reformer all your life.
ALL Councillors without a degree in common sense should be SACKED!!! So that’ll be most of you.
Property develoers need to make money otherwise its pointless being in business. Once this land is sold, you know only a small portion will be devoted to the oh so needed social housing.
COUNCIL DEVELOP THE LAND YOURSELF AND DEVOTE ALL OF IT TO SOCIAL HOUSING!!!!!! Then you can do it on a non profit making basis, bit like the housing maintenance team you run.
This wreeks of the new southern water ceo saying we need to develop new resevoirs on the island, yet COUNCIL SOLD OF 3.
This is also why our council tax keeps escalating because they think, its ok the community will pay for their mistakes, like everywhere in the uk.
COUNCIL, WAKE UP!!! I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY MISTAKES IN LIFE,
WHAT MAKES YOU AS A BODY ANY DIFFERENT? AFTER ALL, WE AS A COMMUNITY PAY YOUR ‘F’ING WAGES!!!