The new leader of the local Conservative Group, Councillor Joe Robertson, has said in an open letter that he is concerned by a recent announcement that Camp Hill prison is no longer a priority to help meet the Island’s affordable housing needs.
Councillor Robertson has written to Councillor Ian Stephens, the Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet member for housing provision and housing needs, following the Alliance Group’s announcement last month.
Prior to losing control of County Hall last May, the Conservatives had worked with the Ministry of Justice for a considerable time to repurpose the Camp Hill site in Newport. Now there are concerns that the ‘abandonment’ of the project could see the former Cat C prison used for purposes ‘wholly unsuitable’ for the Island.
In Cllr Robertson’s letter, which has been shared with Island Echo, he says:
“I am concerned by your announcement that securing and redeveloping the old Camp Hill prison is not a priority to help meet the Island’s affordable housing needs.
“Whatever detailed views are held on the merits of Camp Hill, it is a “key priority site for the Council” in your own draft Island Planning Strategy. How can your Group expect to deliver on its own plan if a key site has already been effectively abandoned? Last month you voted against your own Cabinet Member for Planning on a motion to strengthen local decision-making powers. I share the growing concerns that the Alliance Political Group’s housing policy is in disarray. This is bad news for the whole Island.
“Repurposing of brownfield areas is essential to relieving pressure on greenfield sites in small towns and villages across the Island. I understand that there may be complications to securing the Camp Hill site but there are still avenues to explore with government. I urge you and the Alliance Group to show ambition and leadership by exploring all options to secure this site for the Island, as a priority. If not, the old prison will be at risk of being used by the Ministry of Justice or the Home Office for a purpose wholly unsuitable for the Island.
“Please would you and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Cllr Paul Fuller, meet with me and Cllr Peter Spink to see how we can put the Camp Hill site back on the agenda? We would like to hear your plans and work with you for the good of the whole Island”.
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Responding to Cllr Robertson’s letter, Councillor Ian Stephens has said:
“Due to the scant resources within County Hall, which are the result of staffing cutbacks from previous administrations who were endeavouring to adhere to central government austerity measures, the Alliance administration is focussing on the more readily achievable development sites and solutions to homelessness on the Island. Housing through the local authority has not been adequately addressed by recent administrations, and now the Alliance administration has made it one of the top priorities.
“Camphill is a Ministry of Justice (MoJ) site who still have ownership and responsibility for the site.
“The prison was closed in 2013, and at that time the Isle of Wight Council made an initial enquiry via Homes England (HE).
“The MoJ, working with Homes England, endeavoured to bring forward the site as a viable development site, and the figures did not show that it was viable at that time.
“The MoJ is at present undergoing a review of all estates within their ownership, and there is no date given for the completion…therefore it is open-ended at this time.
“Camphill remains a SHLAA site and is included within the Island Planning Strategy (IPS) and the IWC Director of Regeneration will continue to monitor the situation, and that of other potential development sites.
“Successive administrations have spent time and resource in trying to ‘bring Camphill forward’. All have failed, and the Alliance recognising the plight of Island homelessness and the lack of truly affordable housing is concentrating efforts on land, sites, and buildings where results can be hopefully more readily achieved.
“I am very disappointed to have inherited a somewhat slow system to move sites forward, however the Alliance will be researching the possibilities of a possible fast-track methodology. As you are probably aware we have recently become a Registered Provider (RP) and this will allow the IWC to bid for grant funding from HE.
“We have been successful in our Brownfield Land Release Fund (BRLF) grant funding bid which equates to just under £!M, and we will be utilising that money to bring forward three IWC owned sites, which also compliments the effort which recently resulted in our successful Rough Sleepers bid”.
So insult someone then ask to work with them. He’s started well.
I am reading between the lines, and believe that the intention of the Dept of Justice and/or the Home Office is to use Camp Hill as a detention or holding centre for refugees.
Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t all the millions spent, not to mention the chaos as well, on the St. Mary’s roundabout to support the development of affordable housing. I’m guessing that we will suddenly see a private developer awarded a dodgy contract and housing will be approved with a minuscule amount of affordable housing. Anyone want to comment on “Brown envelopes” doing the rounds? Maybe I’m just being cynical!!
You mentioned the new roundabout at St Mary’s. I wonder how many people think as I do, that it has not been an improvement at all ?
I personally think it is a great improvement over what was there before. Well done to all concerned
He mentions the housing policy is in disarray.
That’s surely a bit ripe considering when they were in power, there wasn’t a housing policy in force and hence all the dubious planning applications getting through.
Dubious planning applications continue to get through – read up on Birch Close, Freshwater. Pot, kettle, black.