A report detailing proposed changes to the Island Planning Strategy has been published ahead of a key meeting of the Isle of Wight Council’s Policy, Finance and Resources Committee next week.
The committee will consider the report and make recommendations to Full Council, which will consider the changes at its meeting on 19th November.
If agreed, a 6-week public consultation will begin later this year.
All feedback received during the consultation would then be sent to the Planning Inspectors, who would then reopen the examination of the strategy.
The Island Planning Strategy is the council’s emerging local plan – a document that sets out how land on the Island should be used and developed over the coming years. It covers everything from housing and employment to infrastructure and environmental protection, and once adopted, it will guide planning decisions across the Island.
The newly published report outlines a package of changes that respond to concerns raised by Planning Inspectors earlier this year.
Following hearing sessions held in Spring 2025, the Inspectors wrote to the council in April, identifying 5 key areas requiring further work.
In May, Full Council agreed to continue with the independent examination of the strategy and instructed officers to address the issues and prepare for public consultation.
The newly published report sets out proposed changes in 5 key areas:
- Housing shortfall: 9 additional sites and 2 policy amendments to meet a shortfall of 315 homes over the next 5 years.
- Sustainability appraisal: Updates to the Integrated Sustainability Appraisal, which supports the strategy.
- Policy C11: Removal of the policy requiring all new development to be net zero, to align with national guidance.
- Affordable housing viability: Revised evidence shows that delivering 35% affordable housing is not viable across the Island. A reduction is proposed in some areas, while retaining the ‘Island affordable’ definition to ensure deeper discounts than national policy.
- Ancient woodland buffer: A reduction in the buffer zone between ancient woodland and new development, from 50m to 15m, in line with national advice.
The 9 sites added for proposed housing, which could see an additional 270 homes built, include land at Staplers Road, and Horsebridge Hill in Newport, land at Main Road and Highwood Grove in Rookley, land at Sandown Airport and land at Ashley Road and St Vincent’s care home in Ryde, as well as the redevelopment of the former Ryde Theatre.
Residents can read the report in full on the council’s website, where there are also dedicated web pages about the Island Planning Strategy.
St Vincent’s Care Home in Ryde is owned by Phil Jordan the Leader of the IW Council. Don’t suppose there will be any difficulty in that getting planning permission.
I find the definition of affordable housing a little confusing and I see no reference to social housing. From this we must assume that the policy is little more than an open invitation to developers to profit at the expense of our environment and the already failing infrastructure.
Would someone please tell me the price in £ of what a affordable house is and take notice of what island residence want not planning inspector’s want
For the IOW Flats/Maisonettes approx £141,000, and terraced properties average approximately £214,000, according to the Office for National Statistics in August 2025.
Why not build on the old Harcourt Sands site
it’s been sitting empty for 19 years.
Could also turn the old ice rink and York Hotel
into homes.
Why not build on the council offices in Newport not a lot goes on in there.