The Conservative Group set out new plans for the Island’s planning framework – in order for a greener, more sustainable future – when they met at County Hall on Tuesday (20th June).
As things stand, further progress with the Island Planning Strategy (IPS) is not currently scheduled until September when the Council’s Cabinet will meet to discuss it.
The Isle of Wight Council cannot currently demonstrate a 5-year supply of deliverable housing land and has failed to meet the Government’s Housing Delivery Test. These reasons were cited only last week in a Planning Inspectorate decision to grant permission for 6 dwellings on a greenfield site in Councillor Paul Fuller’s ward of Cowes West & Gurnard.
A detailed paper published by Conservative Group Leader Councillor Joe Robertson set out the following:
- Shifting the emphasis from greenfield to brownfield sites
- Delivering more affordable housing, with a local definition
- Protecting our countryside from inappropriate development
- Committing to achieve Carbon Net Zero
- Maximising the benefits of the Solent Freeportfor
The most significant change being put forward, is building more affordable homes on a part-Council owned brownfield site in Newport and the removal of 360 homes currently allocated for greenfield development in Bembridge and Freshwater. This would see the current settlement boundaries of these 2 large villages kept in place and additional investment for Newport.
Councillor Robertson said:
“Whilst the Conservative Group did not secure a majority in last year’s elections, it remains the case that 18 out of the 39 councillors at County Hall were elected on a pledge to ‘redevelop public sector land, including council property, to deliver an ambitious regeneration of Newport Riverside’. A number of Councillors from across the chamber have told me that they also agree with the principle.
“I would ask all non-Conservative councillors to consider whether their objective to minimise greenfield development in their own wards could help be achieved by backing our ambition for an additional residential allocation on brownfield land in Newport town centre.”
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The Conservative Group also wants to work with the Alliance to consider all the brownfield sites submitted as part of the consultation undertaken by the Conservative administration last year, with a view to identifying and agreeing what other sites across the Island could be brought forward instead of greenfield land, with a view to delivering more affordable housing.
Councillor Warren Drew, Conservative Policy Spokesman, added:
“It is widely recognised that there is an affordable housing crisis on the Island, particularly in relation to the provision of genuinely affordable homes to rent. This was acknowledged in a report to Scrutiny last week.
“Unfortunately, the national definition of affordable homes (80% of market prices) is still far from affordable for most Island residents. We want to see a local definition of affordability which is based on the income of Island residents and their ability to pay.
“In the meantime, the Council should be looking to accelerate the use of modular homes to get at least some new affordable housing stock in place, as our group has recently highlighted.”
You can read the full statement at https://mcusercontent.com/5962794fcd43919e80a6365bb/files/c0a980a4-1461-8b25-ad01-1b821ce20ee6/Conservative_response_to_IPS_20th_June_SIGNED.pdf.
To view the published planning strategy head to https://www.iow.gov.uk/azservices/documents/2981-Draft-Island-Planning-Strategy-July-2021.pdf.
In other words – keep the rabbit hutches away from my home turf, and stick them all in the over-crowded towns.
Yep sounds Tory to me.
I won’t vote for the Conservatives while they support affordable housing. I can’t believe they want to being those people to our Island.
The Isle of Wight birth rate is around 1250 per year, the death rate is 1750. The Island population has grown from around 134,000 to 142,000 in 10 years. In all that time our death rate has been higher than the birth rate.
In that time the average age of the Isle of Wight has increased from 43 to 46 (highest in England). 30% of out population is retired (19% UK average) and 20% are over 70 (UK 13%). Outside of the urban areas the average population age is over largely over 50.
In other words, despite more people dying than being born on the Isle of Wight, our population is growing and most of that growth is in old people moving here.
It’s not about old vs young. I can’t believe your being so ageist, it’s about rich vs poor. I’d much prefer a rich old person than a young poor person leaching of society.
Mmmm and we should trust you why?????
I shall never make the mistake of supporting Tory policies again… Fool me once…..
CONSERVATIVES SET OUT PROPOSALS TO GET ISLAND PLANNING STRATEGY BACK ON TRACK
Are these the same conservatives that, when they were in power, did nothing to ‘get the Island planning strategy back on track’?