Seaview’s Masonic Hall was packed with around 120 residents on Tuesday night to hear Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely talk about proposed housing developments in the area.
It was part of a series of meetings Bob is attending across the Island to raise awareness of the Island Planning Strategy (Island Plan).
The plan proposes 95 new homes in the Nettlestone and Seaview area including 15 at the former Flamingo Park site in Oakhill Road, 40 on land west of Eddington Road, 15 at Gibb Well Field off Seaview Lane and 25 at Seagrove Farm Road – a greenfield site.
Residents raised several issues with the MP at the meeting including the planning enforcement function on the Island, the recruitment and retention of Island health professionals, the merit of the Island having a national park, and regeneration on the Island among others.
Resident Mr Philip Redpath put forward a motion to support the MP’s vision for the Island which residents in attendance overwhelmingly supported. The vision can be found at http://islandvision.uk/.
Bob said:
“I’m really grateful to the residents who came to share their views with me and for the support they offered.
“The housing targets for the Island are too high, houses are being built in the wrong places, they are the wrong type, and they are not being built for Islanders. This needs to change.
Article continues below this advertisement “What we need is to put Islanders first and build for our young people. I am working with the IW Council to put a case to the Government to treat the Island as an exceptional case. The more we make our voices heard the better”.
Bob said he welcomes invitations from other Island towns and villages wishing to discuss the proposals in their area. The next meeting will take place in Rookley in September.
