With nearly 3,000 signatures on a petition to stop housing on Seaclose Park, the leader of the Isle of Wight Council has said he will meet with those involved to try and take things forward.
Last week, a petition was started by Cllr Matthew Price, ward representative for Newport North, to object to proposals in the Newport Harbour Masterplan which involve building on the entrance to Seaclose Park and the currently still-standing Fairlee Service Station.
More than 40 houses are outlined for the area fronting onto Fairlee Road, and Cllr Price argues it is unacceptable, ‘chewing up swathes of green amenity space’ and potentially having a negative impact on the Isle of Wight Festival.
However, in a recent report to full council, Cllr Dave Stewart, the leader of the council, said the ‘ambitious plans’ for Newport Harbour had been ‘well received’.
At the meeting of full council on Wednesday, Cllr Geoff Brodie, Newport East representative, questioned whether Cllr Stewart really thought that.
Cllr Brodie said:
“Seaclose has created many waves within the Newport community since it became apparent cabinet might approve the masterplan and housing built on the front of Seaclose recreation ground.
“Can I ask the leader if he thinks nearly 3,000 signatures on the petition and to date, 12 of the 13 Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council members have also endorsed a proposal calling on the cabinet to reject that element of the masterplan. Does he consider that well received?”
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Cllr Stewart said, taken as a whole, the feedback was that the masterplan had been well received. He said:
“However, and in fairness to you and Cllr Price, who has been working really hard for his ward and his community in raising issues, on that particular element I can assure you and the public we will be meeting with Cllr Price and taking forward decisions around that, once we have had that opportunity to consider it.
“I think there are some very strong points Cllr Price has raised and I am also aware of the Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council vote the other evening which express concerns, and as we are a council who wants to work with our community I want to assure you that those important considerations will be taken into account.”
The masterplan is set to be discussed at Cabinet in September now, as the meeting first scheduled to take place next month is no longer going ahead due to the break typically taken in August for council meetings.
There it will be decided if the harbour masterplan should be accepted as a supplementary planning document for any further planning applications to change the Harbour.
In the masterplan, it says the houses thought to be built on Seaclose will be done in phase one of the regeneration plans to help pay for the further development of the harbour, which the council says will be a ‘cultural destination’ when complete.
If it is anything like the St Mary’s “Improvement” scheme – then it is a done deal.
I will never forget attending the public meeting and witnessing that it made no different what Councillor Price or others said, or what the public asked it was not going to change the IW Council.
Councillor Stewart confirmed that.
Would it not make more sense to sort out St.Marys hospital first before building more houses that true Islanders cant afford anyway
Keep on about more housing get the Hospital sorted and help the NHS
The council ignored the petition to stop the ridiculous St Marys traffic scheme, they will probably ignore this one as well, i live in the Fairlee area and the last thing we need is more houses and more traffic , i think there may be a case to do something with the old warehouses on the quay but that should be the only development in the area ,I think that the council should concentrate on improving the services the presently run ie the state of the roads and pavements some are in a worse condition after Island Roads have worked on them than before they touched them, the dog fouling the litter problem i could go on.
When Dave Stewart say the plan was well received could he tell us who by ? i do not know anyone who is in favour of it .
The housing proposal should be removed from the harbour regeneration master plan.
housing needs in Newport need to be considered only on brown field space.
or is that too simple?
Hmm so housing is to be in the first Phase in order to pay for the rest of the fantasy pictures of an idyllic waterside ‘cultural space’ that have been drawn up – I am surprised they haven’t thrown that other planning promise of a doctors surgery into the mix too just to make it look like it will somehow benefit the local area. As far as regeneration is concerned, I think we are all still waiting a decade or more later for the East Cowes one promised as part of, yes you guessed it, the massive housebuilding programme that was phase1 of an newly visioned vibrant destination in that area too(mind you they did get a new doctors surgery and the old one is still brightening up the street scene of York Avenue in all its shambolic derelict glory) – let’s be honest if there is a council bureaucrat involved then the only thing generated from this will be the extra money they get for provision of new residences – where those people are supposed to work or even spend their leisure time is of no interest to the public sector, only the meeting of govt targets and collecting themselves extra revenue.
Sorry, the first posting went wrong.
All I was going to say was that Dave Stewart is not necessarily needed to sit down for talk. What is required here is that he listens to and acts upon what he is actually been told. It might be a first one, though…
The true harbour is miles away from seaclose, thats like saying the folly is part of cowes harbour.
Unfortunately, there are ‘big’ players in this project and ALOT of money involved. As a result, very much like the St. Mary’s Roundabout experience, the call for rejection will fall on deaf ears. It’s business, and this will be deemed as ‘good’ business from the counsellor, despite the obvious impact on the environmental aspects as well as the impact it will have in the IOW Festivals.
So for it to go ahead, fairlee service station has to go….I wonder what the owner thinks of that? prob hasnt even been consulted. absolutely the most ridiculous idea yet, fairlee road traffic is a nightmare, i cant even begin to imagine how bad it would be should this development go ahead, for goodness sake leave some green space for people to enjoy.