The Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils (IWALC) has submitted its views on the Draft Island Planning Strategy (IPS), calling for additional measures to address the rented housing crisis.
Its submission highlights the main concerns of local parish, town and community councils. As IWALC acknowledges, the Isle of Wight Council has consulted extensively with local councils, many of whom have also submitted their own responses.
IWALC’s submission supports most of the proposals in the Draft IPS. It welcomes the reduction in housing targets and, while wishing that it could be even lower, recognises that it will be difficult enough to convince the government to accept the proposed target of 486 a year. It points out that accepting this target doesn’t mean that attempts to argue the case for lower numbers through other channels cannot still be pursued.
The submission suggests some parts of the Draft IPS where stronger action is needed.
Shirley Smart, IWALC’s recently appointed representative on the Isle of Wight Council’s Planning Committee, says
“We think that more needs to be done to address the impact of climate change, enforce developers to deliver on time and take enforcement action against anyone who breaches planning regulations.
“We are also calling for financial contributions made by developers through Section106 agreements to be spent in the local area and in consultation with local councils.”
IWALC also maintains that other measures are needed to support those in the IPS.
Diana Conyers, IWALC’s Chair, adds:
“We are particularly concerned that these proposals will not be enough to meet the urgent need for affordable rented housing.
“Our submission calls upon the Isle of Wight Council to work with housing associations and other housing providers to find alternative ways of meeting this need. The answer, in our view, is council-owned housing.”
The submission also points out that experience in other parts of the country suggests that there are a variety of measures that can be used to address concerns about the number of second homes in some parts of the Island.
What’s that? No building on greenfield and no new second homes. Yeah I agree.
The Isle of Wight Council says it’s only £450 a month to rent a 1 bed flat. I don’t know why Right Move says it’s £650.
I agree with you, all the Estate Agents raise the prices up much higher than what should be. Something needs to be done about them ripping people off.
All council owned brownfield land should be developed into flats and rented an LHA rates.
And reduce golf course sizes to about 10 holes,the rest of the land for housing.
Unfortunately though, some so called brownfield sites can be more environmentally beneficial than some greenfield sites so it’s not that cut and dried. The best option is to convert former buildings, but too many developers don’t want to do that, for various reasons, many older building contain asbestos and so they can’t be bothered and just want to destroy a green and wildlife friendly area instead.
When developers submit their plans for housing developments, there is usually a small percentage earmarked for affordable houses, obviously as a sweetener for the planers. No one has ever said the actual cost of these properties. What is affordable to wealthy Londoners ETC, is still probably still out of reach for local kids. This in itself may exasperate the need and shortage of affordable rental homes. Developers should actually list the number of locals buying these affordable homes, not by name obviously. That would make interesting reading..
The previous council invested millions on the mainland why not invest in council houses i know its a long term investment but the rents should over time see a good profit
To do that you need a creative and innovative council which doesn’t rely on government grants to build housing.
When will they learn that THERE WILL NEVER BE “ENOUGH” HOMES AS THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE MORE PEOPLE! And it is THAT that is the problem. You can keep trying to cram pebbles into a small box, but the box won’t get any bigger but the pebbles are still going to be trying to cram into it. Even when the whole world is smothered with homes, there will still be people screeching for more.