Busy residential street in Ryde, George Street has been named an ‘eyesore’ by local group – Ryde Society after they have made reports of litter and vermin lining the street supported by the decomposing Royal York Hotel.
The group contacted the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week to air concerns about rubbish strewn across George Street, a long-vacant hotel described as an ‘eyesore’, and cracks spreading across the road surface.
Helen Keogan, Ryde Society chair said:
“During the summer there’s vermin, it stinks. Look at the vista from here – it’s a lovely thoroughfare that leads to the sea and it is blighted by all this garbage.
“Who can be proud of a place that looks like this? We’ve implored the Isle of Wight Council, Ryde Town Council have written, the Ryde Society have written, private individuals have written, it regularly comes up on Facebook… but nothing ever gets done.”
Ms Keogan praised waste operatives for doing a “heroic job” but described the overall situation as “insanitary”, noting that the street lies within a conservation area.
Resident Jenny Wade questioned why waste sacks are permitted to remain outside properties at all times.
Jenny said:
“From what we’re hearing from Ryde Town Council, the Isle of Wight Council seem to have said they don’t find it unacceptable for these to be left out 24/7.
“I find that really peculiar and I’d like somebody to explain how they’ve come by that decision.”
Ms Keogan also referenced the government’s Pride in Place programme, which is set to invest £5 billion across 244 towns nationally, with Ryde due to receive £19.5 million over a 10-year period.
Mayor of Ryde, Diana Conyers has said:
“Landlords have a legal requirement to provide proper storage and nowadays all planning applications have to have provision for bin storage.
“The trouble is, these are multi-use buildings, there’s lots of different flats… the one at the end has great provision at the back… but the others: they don’t have access to that.”
In response, an Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said the authority is aware of concerns and recognises residents’ frustrations.
The spokesperson said the design and layout of the buildings present challenges, with many properties subdivided into flats without internal storage space for bins or external land for communal bin stores.
The council has permitted the use of gull proof sacks hung on property railings, stating this complies with guidance requiring receptacles to be stored off the highway surface while keeping waste secure between collections.
The authority said the situation has “improved considerably” since their introduction and that it will continue working with residents and landlords to ensure responsible waste management.
Further along George Street, attention turned to the Royal York Hotel, a Grade II listed building understood to have been vacant for around 20 years and owned by Isle of Wight Hotels Ltd.
Neighbour Eileen Stratton said the derelict building had reduced the value of her property and referred to past fires, drug use and syringes found within the site.
Mayors Conyers has said:
“It’s a listed building that could be a great attraction to the town and instead it’s an eyesore.”
Ryde town councillor Malcolm Ross said the town council relies on the Isle of Wight Council, which holds planning control he said:
“We’re helpless – we have a Council that’s got the control over planning and we’re relying on them, they’re the only people that can take action.
“For them, their priorities are different. As a town council, we feel the pressure of the locals here.”
County Hall said Ryde Town Council has funded such capacity over the last few years, enabling “significant improvements” across Ryde but the town council has confirmed they will stop this funding.
A spokesperson for County Hall said:
“Planning enforcement notices have been served against the owner of the Royal York Hotel building, but they have never moved to prosecution as the minimum work to comply with the notices were undertaken.”
Meanwhile comments from Island Roads aim to assure the residents that roads are checked annually with specialist survey equipment giving each road a condition score in which George Street showed no need of resurfacing.
Isle of Wight Hotels has so far declined to comment.
You will be lucky to get a comment from Isle of Wight Hotels. They don’t give a toss. You can tell that from the state the Grand Hotel is in at the far end of Sandown.
I remember reading a long time ago that persons
who own properties are responsible for keeping them
looking tidy.
Should be compulsory purchased and turned into flats
for persons needing them.
The Grand in Sandown has been transformed for the better over the last year or so.
Is it for sale and if so, what is the price quoted.
Island Roads needs to monitor George Street when a double decker bus comes up the hill, around house number 50.. the ground shakes as it goes past..
Island Roads couldn’t undo a packet of crisps between
them, I doubt they could monitor a road.
If they are not going to turn the Hotel back into a Hotel, then it should be turned into flats…or demolished…as it has been an eye sore for over two decades..
There are so many eyesores on the Islands
it’s disgusting
With all the horrors going on the world this is what you are concerned with? Unbelievable.