Housing is back on the agenda for Seaclose Park in Newport, just 18 months after it was removed to safeguard the park for recreational use.
The move has left ward councillor Matthew Price furious stating “I can’t believe it’s an option again”.
The original regeneration plans for Newport Harbour were unveiled over 18 months ago with 40 houses planned for the entrance to the park, off Fairlee Road, and on the existing Fairlee Service Station site. They sparked a campaign by Cllr Price to throw out the plans, who, at the time, said it would be ‘absolutely destructive’.
More than 3,200 people signed his petition and were ultimately successful in getting the authority to do a u-turn.
Now, the authority has changed its mind again with the newest masterplan coming before cabinet this week. The new plan still shows housing on ‘Seaclose Gate’, but the council says the area is under review — with housing on both sides of the entrance, 1 side or none at all.
The switch, the council say, is due to the COVID pandemic, with the Island’s housing situation changing, and a wider recognition of the urgent need for housing in the right locations.
A council spokesperson said, following feedback, the authority did not intend to bring back the rejected plans but review potential for more limited housing.
Speaking at Monday night’s Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council meeting, Chris Ashman, the Isle of Wight Council’s regeneration director, said the housing was being put back to keep all options open. However, Cllr Price thought it would be detrimental to the area.
Speaking after the meeting, he said it was outrageous the council would even consider using the park as an option for any kind of development after previous consultations and turning down a welcomed plan to bring football back to the town. He said:
“To suggest things have moved on since then is utterly ridiculous. What hasn’t changed is people’s opinion for what Seaclose Park should be, which is recreation for every part.”
In the whole Newport Harbour project, 200 to 300 new housing units are suggested as well as a hotel, community centre and footbridge over the Medina.
The proposals are not set in stone, however, with further rounds of consultation and approval needed.
Here we go again, this was dead in the water when it was first muted because of the destruction of the Seaclose entrance and garage. My concern is that as it is being muted again so who in the council has a vested interest in it??? We have just been warned by our Government about a sleeping spy from China trying to influence the government. Do we have a sleeping, vested interested person in our midst?
Doug. I am the owner of Fairlee Service Station I have no intention of building hoses on my garage. I am the last to know about this. No one has contacted me from the council about this latest project. The first I knew about this meeting was when Matt Price phoned me to warn me about it Monday morning
We don’t want a green space do we ? Build on the whole park, make someone rich….
If it was Bembridge it wouldn’t be happening.
Where’s Bob Seely when you need him?
Are there fingers in the pie here ? Covid is obviously going to be used as a universal excuse/reason for anything which needs to be kept under wraps. More housing ! Is this the real reason why the Football Ground was squashed ?
This town cannot support any more housing until the, grossly understaffed, health facilities are greatly improved (Just refer to the recommended standards for number of Doctors per thousand head of population). And that’s just one issue.
How the hell can this be blamed on Covid, absolutely ridiculous comment. The likely answer is corruption within. New council, new ideas, …. What a load of b……s, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Councillors and planners just sat there laughing at us all.
Quelle surprise! Why do we bother, why not just dig up everywhere and call it social or affordable housing? This is yet another example of outdated thinking by a council that thinks it owns the entire island. I notice the footbridge over the river as well? Hmmm, bridge? River?
Take the flipping hint council. This development, or any development on public spaces is not wanted or needed.
Put the homeless in an affordable county hall and really put the council to use. And as for river bridges…come on be Serious!
Disgraceful !
This island is so corrupt, it should be twinned with siccely.
Another example of the Council doing what they do best.
Telling the public one thing when in fact they fully intended to carry out what they planned in the first place.
Now, the authority has changed its mind again with the newest masterplan coming before cabinet this week.
the council have no mandate to change there mind – it was rejected by the very people they are supposed to represent and are the very people who would be negatively affected by it.
the project is dead or the councillors and others in the authority who are trying to flog this dead horse should consider their careers dead.