Following his recent victory to persuade the Government to scrap the controversial algorithm that dictated the scale and location of housebuilding on the Isle of Wight, Bob Seely MP has taken further steps to protect the Island’s green fields from development by asking the Government for further landscape protections.
Currently, around half the Island is covered by the existing Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designation but Mr Seely said he wants to see more land protected. This is part of a wider strategy on environmentally friendly development of the Island, both in housing or growing ‘green’ industries such as wind and tidal energy.
Mr Seely says:
“I want the Government to consider three options: an extension of the existing AONB status to cover more of the Island, full national park status, or a new designation – an ‘Island Park’ – which would sit somewhere between the protection levels of that of an AONB and National Park.”
Bob set out his vision in a virtual meeting with Lord Gardiner, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity, and representatives from Natural England and DEFRA.
AONB status gives land greater protection than ‘normal’ planning rules and prevents large-scale green field planning, which Mr Seely has pledged to oppose…
“The Prime Minister has set out his plans to designate and protect an additional 4,000 sq km of land across the country by 2030. I want the Island to be included in that.
“I want the Government to recognise that the Island has a natural uniqueness which is worthy of further protection. We have a mixture of rare geology, unique beaches, some of the richest dinosaur finds in Europe along with chalk downs, marshy inlet and a lot more besides. We must protect them from harmful development.
Article continues below this advertisement “Currently we have five parcels of land designated as AONB: most areas have one large continuous designation. I want us to get away from the field by field approach to designations and protect a much larger area of land.
“This is not just about housing and protecting from overdevelopment: it is about protecting landscape in perpetuity and is part of a green agenda for the Island too. Where we build, we need to build for Islanders, in appropriate numbers, in existing communities.
“I thank Lord Gardiner for listening to my ideas and for advising on next steps. It is clear that to push this agenda will require the full support of the local authority so I will be talking to the Isle of Wight Council to discuss how we can move forward.”
Bob is making the right noises, yet talk is cheap, but I will give him the benefit of doubt, until shown otherwise.
He could be more vocal on the huge Ryde housing scheme though, and ‘insist’ that the houses built are for Islanders, and that our local authority is ‘banned’ from taking payment from main land authorities to ‘house’ their excess here.
As ‘that’ is what currently is happening, so, instead of housing benefiting the Island, the opposite occurs and we then get more people, chasing few jobs, adding more pressure for medical, education and and crime statistics.
So Bob, IF you openly address this issue, then many will support you, as anyone can ‘say’ the right thing, but asking awkward questions is harder, but more useful, when you have a destructive bunch in charge of our Island now.
The problem is how to ensure islanders can afford to buy a house ,the wages are generally low and the price of property is high its hard for anyone to get a mortgage . The policy of having to come up with a deposit is impossible for most people , i think that if you have good credit rating and have been renting for a set time and kept up with your rent which is often more than a mortgage would be for the same property , then you should be able to have 100% mortgage .
And don’t forget the hige council tax that will make it even hard for people to get a mortgage
Stephen, I agree with the ‘problem’ ‘How to ensure Islanders can afford to buy a home’
The solution is thought by those not being able to do so, is to build more homes.
Which IF they were only for Island people, may ease the prices. BUT is has the OPPOSITE effect.
WHY?
Because as these homes cannot be built ‘just’ for Islanders, those from the mainland move here and that pushes up the prices, AND makes finding a job harder, AND lowers wages as ‘more people’ chasing few jobs, means employers can offer the lowest wages possible, knowing that the positions will still be filled.
Building more homes makes saving for a deposit even more difficult for the same reason, eg, the more homes built and filled the more people here, meaning lower wages, as more chase few jobs, keeping wages low, thus making saving harder to gain a deposit.
Banks have been hit by lending out 100% mortgages as when the house price falls, IF the buyer then defaults, the banks are then left with something worth ‘less’ than the loan given, so ‘they’ then hold the loss, NOT the home owner.
Hence they want a large deposit to cover any default and loss should the owner default. For to an individual it is bad, but they will be able to rent, but to a bank, then having thousands of home loans turned into massive losses can break a bank, then all innocent savers, loans and mortgage holders suffer, so they HAVE to be careful.
One way is to take on a 40 year mortgage where the payments are cheaper, and IF, income improves you can change it to a more standard 25y mortgage. But you will still need a deposit, which neither that, OR building more houses can help with.
Just spend little, save hard, IF it is something your really want.
Good luck.
This is a very positive and welcome move in the right direction, though one feels it should have been made decades ago.
However, it is the Council that makes the sometimes incompetent and occasionally frightening planning decisions.
So maybe Bob’s next good move would be to have some authority look into the highly suspect links between certain Council members and developers?
STOP ANY FURTHER HOUSE BUILDING.
All we seem to hear is words and more words from those supposedly in charge, when oh when will they start doing what they say they are going to do.
Stop all these developments until it is proved beyond a doubt that there are enough jobs for the people that are going to fill all these houses.
Golden Hill Fort has had Alot of bushes, trees and shrubs destroyed even though there is plenty of space to walk, the little paths/secret walk ways are being made to just open space which takes the beauty and fun out of many peoples walks. Many animals and birds need these trees and bushes for food and places to live.
More AONB? Absolutely. However, the Island’s current SHLAA document is loaded with Council approved ‘Developable’ and ‘Deliverable’ greenfield sites.
With the demise of the central government’s housing algorithm and the non ratification of current ‘The Island Plan’ we still need to remain vigilant to all the cronyism of Landowners, Developers, Architects, Councillors and Planners. They’re all out there playing at being little urban achievers!
Cui Bono?