The ‘harsh reality’ of the Isle of Wight’s critical housing need has been highlighted by senior councillors — including 42 Island families living in emergency accommodation following an immediate risk of homelessness.
It comes as the cost of living crisis makes it harder for people to make ends meet.
Speaking at the council’s cabinet meeting last week, Councillor Ian Stephens, deputy leader and housing portfolio holder, laid bare the numbers of people in most desperate need of housing on the Island.
Figures reveal 2,466 people are on the council’s housing register — 1,185 people looking for 1-bed properties; 756 for 2-beds; 402 for 3-beds; 104 for 4-beds; and 19 for 5 and 6-bed properties. The council is also supporting 23 homeless singles and couples, and 42 homeless families in emergency accommodation.
In the past 10 years, since the implementation of the council’s last planning strategy, there had been a 1,244-home shortfall of new housing, Cllr Stephens said. He said if even half of those houses had been built it could have alleviated a lot of problems.
The newest draft Island Planning Strategy, which is hoped will solve some of the planning issues from a policy side of things, has been further delayed.
Cllr Stephens said the figures brought home the harsh reality of homelessness and the drastic need to get a planning strategy that is fit for purpose. It was also a call, Cllr Stephens said, for the council to start its housebuilding programme and empty property search.
According to recent government figures, 121 homes on the Island have been empty for more than 2 years with 449 homes empty for more than 6 months.
Without laying down any bricks and mortar, Cllr Stephens said, that is a sample the council could actually work with and try to fix some of the problems and distress within our community.
In February, the council agreed to borrow £40 million to build houses for Islanders, and address the housing crisis, as well as earmarking £2.5 million to start a council-owned housing company.
there is no shortfall – this is a consequence of allowing so many to move here at the taxpayers expense and second home ownership.
They say 2466 on the register and 42 homeless families in accomodation – clearly none of these are on the streets sleeping rough and they are all currently living somewhere now- in other words, no desperate need to destroy greenfields, ruin natural habitats and further degrade the islands environment.
all these councillors are doing is trying to find ways to justify concreting the island over to ensure higher payouts from the government and subsequent higher salaries for them.
Do behave. People can’t be permanently housed in hotel rooms. Families can’t continue living in unsuitable housing. Often overcrowded or simply not fit for purpose not knowing if their have somewhere to live in 6 months time. Usually paying extortionate rent to a buy to let. Affordable, decent housing of an appropriate size is required for every person on that register. No ifs or buts.
why just people on the register. i’m not registered and i am struggling to afford to pay my rent
Well done, you say there is no shortfall then present evidence that there is. A hotel is not a home.
Walk around any town on the island – how many different accents and languages do you hear – there is your answer – they are not islanders and have moved here, which has exacerbated the problem- unfettered immigration, benefit spongers moving here on taxpayer funds and second homes are the cause of this so called issue – get rid of those sponging off the state that are not islanders uplift council tax on second homes by 300%, outlaw Airbnb and prevent further taxpayer funded moves to the island – problem solved.
It seems to me that the biggest problem is developers do not build the houses they already have planning for, I am sure that we have more than 2,466 plots with granted planning permission. Who knows the total amount of undeveloped plots on the Island? Maybe the council should impose fines on the developers for noncompliance of their planning permission.
Here is the problem, Islanders require homes, Island wages are low, there are a number of houses being built across the Island, many way above the cost of many Islanders, especially those of the younger population looking to purchase their first property.
Unless you have a decent income and currently have a property that is owned by yourself/mortgaged, there is little chance of acquiring a property, the current rental market is also at short supply with sky high rent costs.
Many properties being built here are aimed at wealthy Mainlanders who are looking to retire to the Island or purchase second homes to let out for financial gain.
Very correct minimum wage is rubbish you have to do 45 hours just to break even cheapest rent for two bedrooms is a minimum of 7-800 everything has gone up it’s terrible really your Better off not working
Mmm maybe build homes or utilise empty properties for the islanders then instead of the fat cat builders in it for profit and not affordable housing !!!!
On brown land only !!!!
Leave Greenland for wildlife etc …. we don’t want a concrete jungle !!!
We want a green and pleasant land ….
airbnb keeps ploughing ahead, no control. 3 on our street of 8 properties in shanklin. destroys your life having people coming and going. the visitors don’t care, just on their jollies, the owners don’t care as they live on the mainland, the council doesn’t care, and who suffers THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE HERE AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. Sadly,we will get pushed off the island. who will look after you then?
How dare people come and go, whatever next?
How are you suffering?
Do you not go away on holiday, visiting etc?
Ah probably not, daren’t leave the island they might cut it adrift when we’re away!
If islanders were given priority over the years of moving into an affordable home, there wouldn’t be so many homeless people.
Greed, so many unaffordable homes built and snapped up by mainland buyers. Is there any wonder why there is a problem. Obvious really.
Ok so half of the list want one bed properties. So there’s a clear priority for lots of cheap and cheerful flats.
Who’s building those then council?
Not rocket science but it might as well be.
One major but rarely talked about through fear by the media is that every immigrant who arrives none come with a home, yet Most all will end up living in one and most have numerous offspring all too eventually needing a home
Whilst we have less yet still a growing number here the truth is they still effect the island housing problem as many British move here to leave their home towns which some no longer feel is the same anymore.
As a home costs upwards of 200k and most arrive potless we pay
Not just coincidence since mass immigration that our own can’t afford rent or to buy despite interest rates at lowest ever rate. See why
Plenty of empty properties in Newport town centre that could be converted into flats or knocked down and houses built in keeping like up the top end of Pyle Street and Scarrotts Lane. Would look better than huge empty shops.
Capital town with no Post Office!
Reading this a lot of people seem to be looking for 1 or 2 bedroom apoartmwnts and I seem to notice we have a lot and i mean a lot of old empty hotels really big seaside hotels. Why cant the council turn these to good use for people in need. No need to build new. Let’s repurpose what we have already got
Well if we had a fixed link our young people could travel to the mainland earning better wages and then afford island houses, Like the mainlanders do ,
Young people with no ties should move off the Island if they want to afford houses. It’s not just the Island with property prices rising so move to where there are better jobs and SAVE. That’s what I did and it’s got nothing to do with a fixed link. I didn’t spend my wages on holidays, phones, computers or takeaways but I didn’t live like a hermit, I found things to do that didn’t cost the Earth.
People would be able to afford to go to mainland with a fixed link… not have to book ages in advance and take out a bank loan just to pay for the ferry !!! As it is Islanders cannot go to mainland to attend any evening event by foot. There are NO late passenger ferries.. and ridiculous price to take a vehicle. A fixed link would ease this problem.. could come back any time you wanted… not be succumbed to Ferry times and a availability, if any are working , but only return as passenger before 20:15…!! A bloody curfew really !!
If you had a fixed link house prices would be even higher and less affordable. Remember wages are not going up with house inflation and could never catch up, better hope you win the lottery
Totally agree.. a fixed link would solve a lot of problems… we would no longer be prisoners of the ferry companies… we would be able to travel at our own free will, day or night !!
And you would no longer live on an ISLAND! If you don’t want to live on an Island MOVE off, or campaign for a far better FERRY service that better accommodates ISLAND life, that would be far more productive and far cheaper for all.
Perhaps the IWCC should stop providing housing for Inner City’s over spill and their undesirable population.
Unfortunately, even if the council do manage to increase its housing stock it will only get decimated again when the government introduce the latest right to buy scheme they’ve been talking about.
I’m also slightly concerned that this may simply be a way to block objections to housing schemes in general allowing large developments that are totally unaffordable for those in most need.
Stop building for mainland people….Build for island people first!!!
Island Council, hang your head in shame…
3 million economic migrants/ immigrants coming into the country over the last few years what do you expect. They all.want housing to and are a priority above our own young people.
BBC news today, asylum seeker mothers and babies moved from hotel to “better accommodation,” and people wonder why their own families are struggling.
You know full well it’s got more to do with landlords and second home owners than asylum seekers. Grow up
The NIMBY lot will be loving this, they can stick another 10k on the value of their house. I am use they will continue trying to block all and any development so they can see the wealth grow.
Nearly all the homes being built apoear to be completely the wrong homes for the 2,500 islanders that need them and completely unaffordable
they are not 2,500 islanders – they are more likely, moved over here islanders.
I would like to know, why the homeless and others that are in council properties on the mainland get moved here to Isle of Wight ? Why not send similar from Island to mainland ?? Instead of filling our GREEN sites with more and more homes, move the needed people to places on the mainland. Then maybe they will find jobs too !!
Has the island got room for more housing if have were are the jobs to cater for these new houses half these being built they spoiling the views no the island