Ryde Town Council has softened its stance on the controversial West Acre Park development in Ryde, signalling support for revised plans which would increase the number of affordable homes delivered as part of the scheme.
The comments have been submitted in response to the latest application relating to the long-running development saga at West Acre Park, which seeks a variation of conditions attached to the approved scheme.
Although the Town Council’s official response is listed as ‘neutral’, councillors have indicated that there is now support for the revised proposals due to the enhanced affordable housing provision.
In its formal response to the Isle of Wight Council, Ryde Town Council has said:
“Ryde Town Council’s Planning and Environment Committee could not hold a meeting to discuss this application on 26 May 2026 as it was not quorate.
“The submission of comments was therefore delegated to the Senior Officer of the committee in consultation with the Chair.
“Ryde Town Council have previously objected to the West Acre Park application, however, after speaking to members of the Town Council’s Planning and Environment Committee they concluded that the prominent view was that the Town Council was supportive of the aims of the proposed revisions which accommodate the increase in the number of affordable homes.”
The latest position marks a notable shift from the Town Council’s previous objections to the major development on land between Appley Road and Bullen Road.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Ryde Town Council objected to earlier iterations of the scheme over concerns surrounding traffic pressures and the lack of a coordinated highways strategy for the area.
In 2025, the Town Council said it understood ‘the pressing needs for housing’ and acknowledged the merits of the development in terms of affordable homes, walking and cycling links and public green space, but maintained objections due to fears over the cumulative impact of nearby developments on Ryde’s road network.
West Acre Park has remained one of the Isle of Wight’s most controversial planning battles in recent years. The scheme, promoted by Captiva Homes, was originally approved in 2021 and would deliver 473 homes alongside commercial space, a doctor’s surgery, a café and extensive open space.
However, the development has faced years of opposition from campaigners and local residents concerned about the loss of greenfield land, flooding, traffic and pressure on local infrastructure.
A lengthy legal battle followed after campaign group Greenfields (IOW) challenged the planning approval through the courts. Earlier this year, judges dismissed the latest Court of Appeal challenge in what was described as a major blow to opponents of the scheme.
More recently, revised proposals were submitted seeking to boost affordable housing numbers as part of the overall development.
A decision on the latest variation application is expected to be made by the Isle of Wight Council in due course.
Madness, with so many brownfield sites available near Ryde, Harcourt Sands etc, why are they voting to destroy the countryside?
Plus we all know that affordable housing is a myth on the Island, and you’d have thought Ryde town council of all people would know that the roads in that area are already overloaded.
Lets hope the Isle of Wight Council do the right think and stop this crazy scheme!
IW Council couldn’t stop a bus at a bus stop!
Harcourt Sands was the perfect location to build on,
but the numpties chose elsewhere.
By the way what is a GP?, it rings a bell but I cannot put
my finger on it.
Lol
B..ger affordable “how cheap” for Ryde Council to be bought with those manic words!!!,Housing Association’s should be allowed to have a % to try and replace the many homes sold off by the Tory’s and get Islanders into homes they can afford!!and the words “affordable housing to whom will they be affordable!”and the affordable bit won’t make the road merry go round go away or magically make new Gp and Dentists surgery’s ….will it?.
I didn’t think there was so many people waiting to be housed
on the island.
I imagine they are bringing families from the mainland over
to fill them.
Spot on. Because of the conditions on mortgages and the need for a hefty deposit, buying is not affordable at all to many. This why it was so criminal to sell off the local authority stock without building more to replenish it.
importing more dross from the mainland then and the roads/hospitals, dr’s, dentist wont cope
they should be saying no – there is no infrastructure for more houses
idiots
” A decision on the latest variation application is expected to be made by the Isle of Wight Council in due course”.
BIT LATE CONSTRUCTION HAS ALREADY STARTED
Does anyone from the Council ever pass this site along Appley Road opposite Appley Manor???
“Affordable Homes”its a sprat to catch a mackerel
The number of affordable homes promised in a development is a flexible concept and is usually in inverse proportion to the length of time the development has been underway.
Captiva making their cr aptiva rabbit hutches won’t be happy until they have concreted over the Island disgusting people
They won’t build on their own doorsteps.
Same old same old, everyone knows this is not wanted, you can’t get a mortgage on benefits so affordable homes or not make no difference, just more green fields ruined when other places are available.
These will be for mainland residents.
Well, I sat quietly in the gallery in this Meeting – which, of course, wasn’t a Meeting because not enough elected Councillors turned up to form a quorum! So all you have here is the opinion of one Councillor! As to his “consultation with the chair”, he, nor the chair, were listening to every conversation in that room. There was no formal discussions, but I heard quite a few reservations about how many of the proposed “units” were changing from detached to semi-detached; houses to flats.
I don’t believe that one Councillor’s opinion is representative of the people in that room, let alone the whole Council, nor the people who elected him.
The changes to this planning application involves Captiva selling 193 houses to Sovereign Network Group (SNG) – (Same company that built the Three Oaks development on Horsebridge Hill)
West Acre Park will now have 193 affordable and social housing units which now includes blocks of three storey flats. This is a big change to the original plans. The definition of affordable homes includes homes priced at least 20% below local market values, subsidised ownership like shared ownership, and below-market rent properties.
Tenure Mix: Captiva Homes has committed to a majority of these being for affordable rent, with shared ownership options also included.