The Isle of Wight’s MP has said he is firmly opposed to 70 new houses being built on greenfield land in Shalfleet.
Plans have been submitted to create a new residential development behind existing homes at Burt Close – which itself is a new development.
Bob Seely MP has said:
“This is yet more, low density, greenfield development which is bad for the Island. I hope the IW Council will see the poor development for what it is. We need to be building on brownfield land, not allowing landowners to make a quick buck by selling land for what is effectively ribbon development on a main road.
“These homes are not being planned for Islanders, with the majority of houses in this development earmarked as market houses that many young families in the area simply won’t be able to afford.
“The landowner claims to want to build homes for Shalfleet families, but the facts are that local families will be priced out of the market. Let’s be realistic here – houses valued at between £200k – £300k are not affordable houses for young Island families looking for first homes.
“This development will only pile more pressure on existing services, particularly health services, to meet the additional demand”.
Mr Seely continues:
“This type of low-density urban sprawl is not what the Island needs and I continue to press the Government for the Island to be treated as a special case when it comes to housing so that we can stop the obliteration of our countryside and have local control to plan for our local communities.
“I look forward to the speedy completion of the Island Plan to ensure that we can block these developments, in favour of development in towns, for local families, preferably supported by Island housing associations.
“We need genuinely affordable homes built for Islanders and we need to stop these types of housing proposals from landowners who I believe are actively working against the interests of their local communities.
“I support the many concerns held by residents who have written to me about these plans and I will join them, with local Councillor Peter Spink, to fight against these proposals.”
Well stated Bob. But, we need to tax second homes to death ( council tax, CGT, Stamp Duty ) , get interest rates up, encourage the work ethic and limit migration. We’re now living in a financial distopia where wealth disparity is totally out of control. Extrememly corrosive effect on our society. It wss the first time I didn’t vote Tory ever last month. Be warned Consevatives, ‘build-build-build’ will be on Boris’s Epitaph.
I agree in the main but one of the main reasons there is for the wealth disparity is far too much being handed out in benefits which negates any attempt at encouraging a work ethic.
Second homes are generally of the value that would be out of reach for Island buyers, so what is the point of taxing them to death. Should we just give them to those that can’t afford them? Would that help even things out?
I hope very much I won’t live to see a Starmer version of Utopia.
Values would drop to make some 2nd homes within reach and the resulting general property deflation would help renters get out of their predicament. You are 100% correct on the state (tax payer) crutch dissuading work ethic. Resulting in hospitality & farming businesses often needing to import low cost Eastern European Labour to fill the gap. Perhaps that will change now after Brexit unless the Lobbyists tunnel into the Conservative Party.
If second homes were to be rented out to as holiday rents when the people who own them are not using them, ie the ones that are only used once or twice a year that could help local economy, difficult but possible to do.
To many developers lobbying MP,s with false figures about number of houses needing to be built, when there are loads of empty properties about
And don’t allow Conservatives to become the political wing of the Construction Industry. Looks that now with ridiculous housing build targets, planning constraint easement, HS2 , Smart Motorway works, etc.
Calm down Mr. Seely. The envelope is coming it’s just late.
Absolutely disgusting there young people who are wanting to get on the property ladder to get first property so they would rather give to the people on the mainland the property’s disgusting
The issue with the overwhelmed water/drainage system which we were told at the meeting yesterday overflows into the local river has to be addressed.
There are already 24 properties gone up and the issue is getting worse.
Secondly, what is being proposed now is stage 2…eventually there will be stage 3 which will fill most of that field. Luckily, I’m not the only one who went to the original meeting and remembers this being said.
The thing about small villages is that most of us know each other and the village has a memory!!!
Lastly, why does Shalfleet (a small village) have to take the burden of so many houses?!