Branstone Farm, the new sustainable development in the heart of the Arreton valley, was named Construction Project of the Year at this year’s prestigious Central South Business Awards.
Judges praised the innovative scheme for its cohesive, vibrant and sustainable locality that is of real and lasting benefit to the local community – although the site is yet to be occupied by residents or businesses.
On receiving the accolade, joint site developers, the Isle of Wight Council and Vectis Housing Association, paid tribute to the substantial contribution from key stakeholders involved in the project. This includes Trevor Jones Consulting, Stonehams, ARID and ERMC among others.
Chris Ashman, the council’s director of regeneration, said:
“I am immensely proud of the whole team that has come together to take this important regeneration project from an embryonic idea to what we see today.
“By ‘whole team’, I would like to take a moment to recognise the endeavours and commitment of all our stakeholders and partners, and every individual.
“Together we have overcome unexpected challenges as we innovated and implemented the scheme, but also shared the celebrations, be they small or large-scale, and wonderful achievements such as this Central Business South Award – it belongs to every single person who is an essential, important and valued part of this ‘team’.”
Branstone Farm acts as a template for regeneration and sustainable development within the Isle of Wight biosphere.
Key to the development is affordable housing for Island people that will see energy-efficient homes, thoughtfully designed to complement the natural setting of the semi-rural landscape. The first residents are due to move in at the end of October.
There are also business units with the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce as the initial tenant, a new brewery and visitor centre for the Island-based Goddards Brewery, and a new open green space for all to enjoy thanks to the careful curation of The Common Space.
Martyn Pearl, chief executive at Vectis Housing Association, added:
“Branstone was always envisioned as offering the opportunity to create an extraordinary project. It would bring together high-quality homes with training, employment and the natural environment, fully reflecting the principles of the Biosphere designation awarded to the Island.
“We were delighted when the Local Authority bought into this and came on board to form the Branstone Partnership. Together, this has demonstrated that a collective vision focused on delivering what is best for the Island can achieve great things. We wanted to produce an exemplar scheme and I believe that this is what we have done.
“It is an added bonus to receive this award as an indication that this view is shared more widely across the sector and the Southeast region.”
In a bit of a pickle with the spelling
You know what the most sustainable method is? Not building houses.’thoughtfully designed to complement the natural setting of the semi-rural landscape’, what are they on about they’re probably some of the ugliest houses I’ve ever seen. If you can’t afford to live somewhere maybe you should look somewhere else, we will end up importing the mainlands scum again because the houses never go to islanders.
Joe the problem is they think they are Islanders as those climbing out of a dingy then assume they are instantly British, but to ensure so they empty their quickly re-filled wombs to ensure the status is then forced by law.
Yet a cat giving birth in a stable still has kittens, not foals.
So real Island families have so much competition and with the points system of allocating homes, then the new comers who have no ties, not had generations paying into our society gain the most by faking ‘issues’ etc so if you are a decent normal person living here you have little hope.
Racist filth. Go jump off a pier.
Couldn’t agree with you more Mike, The Island is full of racists.
What is VERY clear here is that prospective buyers have had no say in this report whatsoever. The purchase process has been an absolute joke. Not least of all, just read previous articles published on this site. People have list mortgages, had dreams broken and spent months of stress by the bungling wishful marketing surrounding this estate of dreams.
What’s not acceptable is :
1/ The ridicules delay that the new owners have had to put up with which meant them losing mortgage offers
2/ The building of a industrial/housing development on prime greenfield land
3/Siting new family homes in a location where the only public transport link is a half mile walk away along a high speed main road that has neither lighting or a footpath. In the winter school children will be walking to and from school along the main Newport – Sandown Road with no lighting or footpath – An accident waiting to happen
Would have been far better to have kept this as a working farm wher youngsters of primary school age could go to learn how their food is produced.
Briddlesford has filled that gap. A regular weekly visit by lots of schools both local and from the mainland.
“Judges praised the innovative scheme for its cohesive, vibrant and sustainable locality that is of real and lasting benefit to the local community”. What benefit to the local community? Probably all end up as holiday homes. Anyhow the school farm which was there originally was of far greater benefit to the local community.
Couldn’t have said it better.
besides it being completely useless to the local community, I must admit the architect did follow threw with the clients brief and design a sustainable development. It’s just a shame that the main contractor produced an awful product of poor quality.