A new draft of the Island Planning Strategy – one of the most important documents that shapes the way the Isle of Wight will work between now and 2038 – has been published for public comments.
After an Islandwide consultation in 2018 and 2019, the Isle of Wight Council has made big changes to the proposed plan. The Draft Island Planning Strategy has a greater emphasis on the environment, with more policies aimed at environmental and sustainability issues than any other part of the plan.
In another major change, the planned number of houses to be built has been reduced by 25% from the previous draft, after new evidence and information was researched by the Isle of Wight Council. Suggested new ‘garden settlement areas’ have been removed from the plan entirely, and there is a reduction in proposed building on some greenfield sites. The result is that in the new draft plan only around 1% of the Island is allocated for residential and employment land.
James Brewer is one of the council’s planning staff who has been working to prepare the draft Island Planning Strategy. He explains:
“It’s a big day for us to get this latest draft out for people to see.
“We listened to what the community told us in the last consultation and that really changed the way we approached some aspects of the plan.
“Although there’s an uncertain national picture in planning, I feel this plan is better, more robust and aims to solve real island issues that the community told us about.
“We have drafted a plan that should help provide the right homes in the right places on the Island.
Article continues below this advertisement “I would love Island residents to get involved now the consultation is open, because we want to know what everyone thinks of this. It’s worth taking a look at the new plan: comments now could affect the way we live on the Isle of Wight for the next fifteen years and beyond. “
Councillor Paul Fuller, portfolio holder for planning and housing, said:
“Planning is not just about deciding on individual cases. Every now and again there is a chance to make some big decisions, and the Island Planning Strategy is one of them.
“We know that people overwhelmingly rejected the housing numbers in the last draft plan, and the new council is determined to address this. We have listened and responded to that feedback.
“We’re doing a longer consultation than we have to, 50% longer than the legal requirement. This will allow local councils and residents to be part of the consultation process.
“I hope everybody will take the time to read the new draft, and pass on their thoughts, because even this latest draft is not the final version and changes can be made – be assured we will be listening.”
You can download the Draft Island Planning Strategy here.
When you eventually manage to get to see the plan, i persevered, it makes interesting reading. I notices there is a section that says about islanders health and well being by adding green spaces to the communities etc etc. I see no mention of health service’s for the growing population, hospital, doctors, dentists, that sort of thing. This, i think is largely out of council control, but still relevant. All this plan has then to be presented to government, oh dear. What if Boris, like the computer, says NO
So as a Ryde resident, I’m not quite sure what I’m commenting on.
Excluding two schemes in Bembridge (not Ryde) ‘The Ryde regeneration area’ for new housing has already been decided. What’s the point?
Btw building on greenfield should NOT be classed as Regeneration, it is not renewing or restoring the Island.
After having gone through document, I now realise it was cold stone obvious that the Westridge development was part of the Island plan for some time.
What a fool am I.
No, fool of the IW Council thinking they can fool us.
Total nonsense that they are asking for public comments. They have actually added new, large green field sites to the plan since the original draft.
They are not listening and they will not listen.
It’s all mind games. “Lets build 100 houses” they say, “Mmm, that didn’t go down too well, lets tell them how good we are at listening and tell them it is now only 80 houses which is what we wanted in the first place”
As for coming up with “It’s all right folks, only 1% of land is for building” Who got paid to come up with that statistic? It is a totally meaningless and irrelevant figure.
Asking people to comment? Well they have commented many times and their comments are ignored. Only listened to if they agree with the plans. The character of Ryde has been destroyed over the years. If they get their way it will be even worse again. It’s like asking for an opinion, not liking the answer, so keep asking until they get fed up and stop replying or you get the answer you want, Or the answer that you can twist the meaning of to make it fit what you want.
The Island Echo dated 12th July headline “486 homes could be built on the Island etc”
It states Ryde 852 houses (down 139)
Looking now at the Draft Planning Strategy for Ryde it states 1373. Westridge is as allocated, but now has planning permission for 473 bringing the total to 1846.
I have requested from the planning department details about the numbers and sites, so far no reply.
For one, the Ryde McDonalds traffic problems need to be solved, before any house building in Ryde takes place.
…and so while Cllr Fuller and co await the same feedback as last time it plays out perfectly as a recruitment drive for landowners and developers to continue submitting their greenfield housing schemes.
and throw in a few ‘affordable houses’ to keep everyone happy
Plus a “Doctors’ Surgery”!!!
It would appear that even if the Island planning strategy was passed with reduced numbers of housing to be built, the developers would just appeal and it would get passed by this current government.
So what’s the point of having planning rules and regs here.
I had a look at the plans yesterday, can’t make head nor tail of them. Probably deliberately confusing. Why don’t they show some proper pictured impression of what they have in mind. It’s difficult to tell anything from looking at those plans.