Councillors last week finally agreed on the Draft Island Planning Strategy which sets out the overall approach towards future development on the Isle of Wight – but what happens now? The strategy will set out the policies to follow for planning applications submitted to the local authority, which aim to give more protection to the countryside, ensure that new homes are net zero carbon and that affordable homes are even more affordable to Islanders. The strategy balances social, economic and environmental issues and fronts up to some ‘difficult decisions’, such as planning for 453 homes per year until 2037. Following last week’s decision to push forward with the strategy after 7 years in the making, the Draft IPS will now move through a formal process set by Government with the local authority publishing the document and seeking public comments for a period of 6 weeks. After that, it will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities along with all the comments received, who will then appoint a planning inspector to hold public hearings and then produce a final report. Once this process is completed the council will have the opportunity to adopt the local plan based on the inspector’s recommendations. Welcoming the council’s decision, Councillor Paul Fuller, Cabinet member for planning, coastal protection and flooding, has said:
“I know that bringing a new local plan forward is often difficult, because it asks big questions and raises issues that generate strong feelings. “The council’s decision is not the end of the process, but means we can move forward to the formal stages and put an agreed version of the plan, and all the evidence that underpins it, to our residents, to our businesses, to anyone interested in the future of our island to give their views on it to an independent Planning Inspector. “I’d like to say a big thank you to our small planning policy team who have worked extremely hard for a number of years putting the draft plans and evidence base together in what have often been challenging circumstances.”
James Brewer, planning policy manager, said:
“The Full Council decision is a really positive step forward for the Island. “Being able to publish the draft plan and then submit to government gets us closer to a new adopted plan, which will provide certainty for everyone involved in the planning process and help address some of the key issues the Island faces. “The community and stakeholders still have an opportunity to comment on the plan when we publish and all of these comments will be considered by the independent planning inspector.”
Ollie Boulter, strategic manager for planning and infrastructure, added:
“The Draft IPS provides a wide range of new tools in the planning tool box that enables us to tackle the issues we face today with up-to-date policies on issues such as flooding and climate change, housing affordability and our aging population. “It also helps provide certainty to our Island, thinking about the future and our settlements and services moving forward. This is a key document in relation to many other decisions, such as school place planning, public health provision and inward investment.”
does the strategy also have a section detailing requirements for the use of ‘descrete brown envelopes’ in bypassing other secions of the plan so CONservative supporting developers can do what ever they want to ensure they make enough profit from their developments….
There is no need for any of these houses because the island’s population is contracting. By all means build some flats on derelict sites in Newport, Ryde and Sandown but not more houses. All of this talk of no houses for young people is total garbage. I am sick to death of hearing people in their 20s moaning that they will never be able to afford a house. A single person in their 20s does not need a 3-bed house, but instead they should be content with a 1-bed flat because it is sufficient. Save your money and buy a flat when you have enough for a deposit.
450 houses a year for 14 years. If 2 people per house, that’s about 12,000 increase to the island’s population. Any mention of more GPs, dentists, schools etc? What will it do to local traffic, which is already horrific? If anything the island population needs a reduction, not an increase!
I see your point, but if you Google average number of deaths per year on the Isle of Wight, the IW Council states average 1680 deaths per year, year 2005 to 2009.
Not sure what it is now, but doubt there’s a great shift. On that basis a reduction in the population is far greater than the 12,000 increase over 14yrs, (roughly 23,520 deaths over a 14 year period).
So no need to panic yet. Not a builder or developer……just someone giving an informed reasoning, but do agree more efficient services are needed everywhere.
Maybe the numbers won’t increase. Young people still living at home with parents may now be able to afford their own place. Families in B&Bs or in extortionately priced rentals can buy somewhere. It won’t even impact on the drainage/sewer network. Same amount of people but spread out more..
Maybe that. Not such a negative thing after all..
Cheer up Eeyore
‘issues such as flooding and climate change, housing affordability and our ageing population’ – so why are the planning officers allowing developments to be built on greenfield sites away from public transport, with prices no Island family can afford/ Or is this suddenly going to change now we have this planning strategy document/
NOTHING WILL CHANGE so don’t hold your breath
What a load of tosh, it’s just IW Council wanting more Council tax money.
The ferries can’t cope
St Mary’s can’t cope
Etc etc
Look at all the derelict properties on the island that are standing idle,
make use of what we already have.
And then after elections it will be changed. Its just a ploy to collect votes.
this council and government can’t even fill in pot holes so what makes them think they can change how planning works.
their used to be ‘rotten boroughs on the island
its now just a ‘rotten council
corruption to the core.
It’s taken 7 years to finally approve this, so you can be sure it is already out of date. Time to spend 100s of 1000s on developing a new one.
It’s a bit like the Medina Bridge. They would do away with the floating bridge and build a fixed link between Cowes, like they did in Southampton. But after several feasibility studies and the spiralling costs after years of banter, it was deemed too expensive and abandoned in favour of a new floating bridge and look where it’s got us. If they can’t shoulder the responsibility of building a simple bridge how are they going to challenge building 453 affordable homes a year until 2037? It’s already taken 7 years to draft the plans and it will take another 7 years to reach government level. If passed, it’s only 5 years until 2037, so only a few new homes will appear. 🙁 That’s okay, the council simply make a new draft and start again. 😉