Guidance aiming to ‘protect the identity’ of the Isle of Wight’s historic high streets will be considered by councillors tonight (Thursday).
The Economy, Regeneration, Transport and Infrastructure Committee (ERTIC) will decide whether to move forward with the draft Commercial Frontages Design Guide.
County Hall adopted the Historic England-funded Newport and Ryde Commercial Frontages Design Guide in 2022 which officers say ‘helped to secure better outcomes within the 2 town centres’.
They are now seeking to expand the Supplementary Planning Document’s (SPD) geographical scope to encompass all ‘designated town centres and conservation areas across the Island’.
SPDs provide extra detail to policies within the Island’s local plan and can be used to ‘provide further guidance for development on specific sites or on particular issues, such as design’, according to the council.
They can also be a ‘material consideration in planning decisions’.
The draft Commercial Frontages Design Guide says:
“This document aims to protect the identity of our historic high streets. Please use this guide to celebrate our local heritage and encourage use of our town centres for many years to come.
Article continues below this advertisement “The Design Guide was produced as part of the Newport and Ryde Heritage Action Zones to support regeneration of both town centres but written with the intention to be relevant to all Island conservation areas and designated town centre boundaries.
“This user-friendly document is intended to promote positive change across the Island. It is based on Ryde and Newport’s history but also looks to the future.
“Written to be accessible for everyone but also useful to specialists, it includes a building-led process to help non-specialists research their building and understand how to restore it. It also includes technical guidance for designers and craftspeople.”
ERTIC will decide whether to approve the publication of the draft Commercial Frontages Design Guide for public consultation.
It will meet at County Hall on Thursday at 17:00.
Might be a good idea to start with Sandown High Street
first.
Lol.
What’s with the camping opposite the old Sandown Hotel!
Sandown will soon be like Los Angeles
I agree Sandown is a disgrace
It doesn’t need to be.
It’s the worst looking eyesore in the south of
england, yet it charges most the expensive toilet
charges – 50p.
Shanklin only charge 20p
The Council and town Council are a disgrace.
The council wants utopia, they restrict on street parking for those with mobility issues, raise car parking charges and still expect people to frequent and support the high street, you cannot have it both ways.
Just do what motorists do in Sandown opposite
the pier outside the old tourist information centre
Park on the pavement all day FREE OF CHARGE
Beats paying £12 a day and the £2 evening charge
IW Council Civil Enforcement Officers turn a blind eye,
it’s great.
Lol
First step is to cut parking charges substantially
Majority of locals boycott charges by parking
on Pavements.
They fill our town centres with HMOs so drunken fools are roving around constantly, spitting, shoplifting, swearing and making inappropriate comments and then worry about the buildings.