Draft plans to build 74 homes on Sandham Middle School’s former site have been unveiled at a public consultation in Sandown.
A 74-house development could be built on the long-disused site of the former Sandham Middle School in Sandown, with residents given their first look at draft proposals during a public consultation last Thursday (27th November).
The event, hosted by planning consultancy DPP on behalf of developer Strategic Green Land, took place at Browns Golf Course Café and invited locals to view the emerging scheme and share their feedback.
Sandham Middle School closed in 2011, and the buildings were demolished shortly afterwards, leaving the Fairway–Perowne Way site vacant for over a decade.
The draft plans include a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses, with 65% intended for the open market and 35% designated as affordable. Landscaping and parking would be incorporated throughout the development.
A new vehicle access from The Fairway forms part of the proposals, alongside a pedestrian and cycle link connecting the southern edge of the site to Perowne Way.
Representatives from Sandown & Lake Football Club, Steve Hobday and Steve Berry, described the land as an “abandoned area” that was “crying out for development” and said new housing could eventually support the club through additional players, volunteers and potential funding.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Nathan Slater, principal planner at DPP, said community reaction to the plans had been “mixed”.
He said there were concerns about the future of existing trees but also positive comments about house designs and the inclusion of much-needed housing, though some attendees felt 74 units would be too many.
“From our perspective, we feel the site can accommodate that amount of development,” he said, adding that a full planning application is expected to be submitted to the Isle of Wight Council in early 2026.
Sandown town councillor Paddy Lightfoot welcomed the long-awaited progress.
He said:
“It is very welcome to see plans for the old Sandham Middle School site progressing at last. More housing is needed across the Island, and this is a small step towards meeting that need, utilising this redundant site.”
However, Cllr Lightfoot highlighted concerns from residents about the absence of any single-bedroom homes, a need identified in local housing assessments.
“As this is a consultation prior to full planning application, I hope that the developer will adjust their plan as a result of these comments and the Isle of Wight Council will ensure this happens before granting planning permission.”
Sandown resident Tom Patrick criticised the communication surrounding the event, saying he received a letter only a day before the consultation, “stuffed between his fence and a gate”.
“The communication could have been far better and much more organised and planned ahead,” he said.
DPP has since confirmed it is extending the comment period on the draft proposals from 15th December to 11th January.
Not a good trust builder to only notify people ofthe meeting after dark on the evening before, Our notification was thrown in our porch, not even put through letterbox. Does the consortium have something to hide? As mentioned, the planned destruction of a mature, healthy Horse Chestnut tree, is very much protested along with several Silver Birch trees.