A ‘one off’ opportunity, which could create up to 1,000 jobs in East Cowes in the creative industries, has been proposed to the Isle of Wight Council.
The council would need to sell the site to 3 unnamed but ‘well-known sector-leading figures with decades of experience if the development of the Kingston Marine Park (KMP), on the banks of the River Medina is to go ahead.
The authority has received an offer for the site on Saunders Way and will decide whether or not to sell the land, at its cabinet meeting on Thursday (10th November), potentially behind closed doors.
KMP has been vacant for more than 10 years, and until 2018 was owned by the government under its Homes and Community Agency. Planning permission was granted in 2012 for the 15,000m squared marine business park, with the hope of relocating boatbuilding from Venture Quays. A smaller application for the marine park was approved in January 2018 but did not go ahead.
The council bought the site in the same year with the intention of delivering economic growth and prosperity. However, the necessary river access has been the main issue with any development of KMP so far and it has proved undeliverable due to environmental reasons.
In recent years the council has marketed the 16-acre site and received interest and offers from businesses, wanting to utilise the land for non-marine uses.
In a report going to the council’s cabinet, the developers — 2 of the 3 parties supposedly live locally — are said to be highly driven to deliver the project and are in a hurry to do so.
The land would be sold subject to planning permission being obtained to change the use of the site as it is restricted to only marine employment. As part of the contract, the council has said it will retain the right to buy back 2 and a half acres for £1 as a potential location for a battery storage facility.
Located next to the Kingston/East Cowes Power Station, the authority has been considering the prime site for the battery bank, which would be able to absorb surplus renewable energy and provide greater resilience for the Island’s energy system.
This council have definately drunk the green ‘kool aid’..
Again no transparency and behind closed doors – brown envelopes again. If they sell our land will they invest in River crossing or reduced council tax? Think not just line own pockets maybe get some more friends in as mangers!.
The key word in this is “could”. With global warming etc this site could start to flood with the rise in sea levels. Sprat to catch a mackerel. I hope someone in the Council has had the sense to look up KMP the reviews especially are very derogatory so it doesn’t say much for their management skills. They are out for a quick profit and to hell with who they hurt. Also E Cowes is not the best place especially for transport and essential services, the roads leave a lot to be desired there is only on in and out. Think again Council before you yet again get hood winked into approving this.
Read the article again. KMP is Kingston Marine Park, not the investment company.
“With global warming etc this site could start to flood with the rise in sea levels”
Yup. Will flood in the next ten years. So best build houses on it as usual.
Just noticed the comment 2 of the 3 developers “supposedly live locally” – now that smells a bit iffy if nothing else.
I thought the Island were struggling to fill posts now.
Who’s going to fill 1,000 posts!
“I thought the Island were struggling to fill posts now.”
It is. No one with the skills needed can find a place to live on the island because the NIMBY lot will not allow any new homes to be built. Then they have a cheek to moan when there are no ambulance drivers to come and take them to the hospital and no nurses at the hospital to save their lives. They made our bed, we have to sleep in it. Well done NIMBY lot for killing the island.
no – the problem is over population with immigrants, asylum seekers, benefit claimants moving here at taxpayers expense, second home owners and air bnb.
get rid of all of the above and plenty of housing stock becomes available in an instant. There is no need to destroy the environment further by concreting it over for more and more people to turn up here, unwanted.
So nothing to do with lack of investment, skill fade and virtuality no apprenticeships over the last 20 years? Oh as well as the houses that have been built filled with workshy dossers?
Not a nimby but we do need the right types moving here.
There definitely needs to be watertight clauses to stop developers making a quick buck and running off.
Do you trust the council to ensure this doesn’t happen ? I don’t
This won’t be a quick grab and run project, it’s going to be a long term project that will put the Island on the map on the international “stage”
So IW council may sell some land to someone, for something…..or something.
Great reporting! It’ll probably get better once there is actually something to report.
The council would need to sell the site to 3 unnamed but ‘well-known sector-leading figures with decades of experience
That’s McDonalds, Starbucks and KFC then
Heads out of the sand please IWC
If the developers want the land, then build a bridge across to Cowes as part of the condition. The road down there is of a good enough quality to take the traffic after all. That would benefit everyone and get shot of non floaty mcredface for good. A win win situation as I see it, but we can all write the final scenario can’t we?
Perhaps the council could declare after their we have nothing to hide closed door meeting which of its councillors and extended family members have an interest in this development. .
Does anyone remember SEEDA and the huge success they had in spending tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers money ‘regenerating’ East Cowes? They disappeared in a puff of bureaucratic smoke after promising the earth, spending the cash and leaving the town with nothing but another sprawling housing estate – will this new project generate the same number of jobs as the wildly successful, crammed full of leading edge businesses island technology park has? Will the change of use include housing by any chance? Lots of prime waterfront apartment type land down there just aching to be built on first (in order to pay for the ‘jobs’ part of course!)
A job producing industrial enterprise I’m sure would be welcome, though not perhaps so much as a Frank James replacement hospital, but don’t anyone be fooled this was never an industrial ‘site’ it was green fields.
They are holding out for bigger brown envelopes.
This council with their secrets, just treat the electorate with contempt. 1000 jobs? Is that during the build of a new housing development. Conservatives were bad, but this council of no accountability need voting out.
Not a housing development, have you read about it from over sources? It’s to do with the creative arts.
the council have already spent £7million on this site to turn it in to a marine park.
with all the concrete foundations for boat hoist and retaining walls they then find out that the site is no good to anyone as no dredging is allowed due to the presence of the tentacled lagoon worm which is only found in this area so that put the end to a boat hoist and marine park another great investment by the council
Why can’t the decision be public? Why doesn’t our local council and councillors want it to be?