Plans to redevelop the former Sandham Middle School site in Sandown have taken a step forward.
The Isle of Wight Council last week agreed to sell the land to developer National Pride to provide much-needed affordable housing for the Island.
The site closed in 2011 and was subsequently used by Sandown Bay Academy as temporary accommodation but is no longer needed. Due to vandalism on the site, it was decided to demolish the former school buildings ready for redevelopment.
The proposed provision of new housing will create Island jobs and contribute towards the council’s aspirations to reduce poverty, as well as its regeneration ambitions, sustainable economic growth and skills development through construction apprenticeships.
Consultation with Sandown Town Council and The Bay Church of England School raised no objections.
Sharon Betts, the council’s director of corporate services, said:
“We are delighted to agree a sale of this substantial brownfield site to National Pride to deliver much needed new housing for the Island, including affordable housing.
“The former Sandham Middle School site has been ripe for redevelopment for some time, and the fact that National Pride is such an experienced developer gives the council every confidence that the housing will be delivered as quickly as possible.”
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Councillor Phil Jordan, council leader, said:
“This is a very welcome transaction which corresponds well with the council’s values and aspirations.
“We have been talking with National Pride since the summer of 2021, who have a good reputation nationally, and I am confident and assured that the scheme that will be delivered here will be a truly environmentally friendly development, with an aspiration of net zero carbon value homes and up to 50 per cent of which will be affordable in costs.
“The council has achieved good value for the land and look forward to the much-needed homes being delivered in the near future.”
Ward councillor, Ian Ward, added:
“I’m pleased to see that at long last this empty site is to be developed. I share the wishes of local residents that we get the correct type of development and associated infrastructure that fits in well with the present community.”
We don’t want brownfield developments! We don’t want any more housing!
Yeah, greenfields only!
Come on now be fair the boat people need somewhere to live!
If we need housing for islanders, why only 50 per cent??????
Should be more …. or all !!!!!
And what are the council doing with the money from the sale ????
And how much???????
Maybe the Council will reduce our Council tax next year rather than keep
Increasing it to pay for more of their c*ck ups!!
Looking forward to trying to get out of the Fairway . .
This company seems to have emerged in 2021, building a site in Scotland?
But at least our council have full confidence in them, providing much needed accommodation!
‘Brownfield site’ LOL, 90% of the site is green and has recently been ploughed to conveniently remove all of the greenery, I presume in an effort to con the planners/public into thinking this mostly greenfield site is ‘brownfield’
we all get ploughed regulary by our council! brownfield/greenfield doesnt literally mean the colour of the land to be delveloped – brownfield refers to dis-used buildings on a potential plot which obvioulsy being an old school this one does.
Notice how Jerk Jordan used the word “transaction” that simple word says it all about this convicted drunk driver, all about the cash, not whether the houses will be good quality or even if there will be any thought about the people who live around there already. When is Jerk Jordan going to actually realise that we need a bigger hospital to cope with all these “new” people, not to mention the extra traffic.
How does this business have a good reputation nationally when it was only started five years ago. Also which one is it, as they have five businesses starting with national pride which have a total net worth of -80K. Why not award to a local developer who may have a vested interest in doing a good job.
Yet many on here STILL don’t see the correlation between massive amounts of immigrants both legal and illegal, and the UK having to build ever more homes.
JUST because the Island is thankfully low on such, many people come here to retire and escape from town, villages and areas, where they lived all their lives but NOW feel like the outsiders.
See the real reason, it isn’t second home owner etc, it is the elderly trying to find a little piece of unspoiled Britain to retire in, and WHO can blame them?
Thats the Christmas cruises and drinks cabinets sorted then
Why doesn’t the council develope it itself rather than giving all the profits to a developer?