Up to 163 homes and a commercial development could be built on the outskirts of Cowes.
County Hall has accepted Mr and Mrs Biles’ outline application for a mixed-use development on land to the south of Somerton Industrial Park next to Newport Road in Cowes.
The approval is conditional and subject to ‘appropriate mitigation’ which the council has said can be secured by a Section 106 Agreement and conditions.
A Section 106 Agreement is a legal contract between a developer and a council to mitigate the effects of a development proposal.
The applicants have signed a Section 106 with the council that includes an affordable housing contribution, Habitat Enhancement Plan, Communal Areas Management Plan, Cycleway Link and Habitat Mitigation Contribution.
Landscaping and the appearance, layout and scale of the development will be considered with a subsequent reserved matters application.
A statement from the Biles’ agent, the Andrew White Planning Consultancy, said:
“Although not defined until the Approval of Reserved Matters stage, the site could deliver in the region of 163 homes along with some 4,200 square metres of employment floor space, making a significant contribution to addressing the housing supply shortage and assisting with sustained economic growth by allowing businesses to expand and for jobs to be created.
Article continues below this advertisement “The new homes will be designed to a high quality and there will be a range of unit types and sizes.
“Significantly, 35% of the new homes will be affordable homes, all designed to be indistinguishable from private market housing.
“This will assist in creating a mixed and balanced community.”
Planners received 62 objecting comments during two public consultation periods, with five in support.
Grounds of opposition included there not being a need for additional housing in Cowes, greenspace loss with brownfield land being available, a lack of school places, tourism impacts and the development being ‘ugly’. Issues raised in Cowes Town Council’s objection included a loss of farmland, existing infrastructure not being able to cope and increases in traffic.
Northwood Parish Council also submitted an objection which included traffic concerns.
Planners’ decision report for application 22/01720/OUT said:
“The Planning Authority considers that the development would result in moderate economic benefits, with moderately adverse environmental impacts that would be outweighed by the significant social benefits brought through the delivery of housing, including a policy compliant level of affordable housing, and employment within a sustainable location.”
So, they want to build more benefit hutches for more undesirables to move here. They want to add to the already congested roads, creaking infrastructure, queues at the hospitals, dentists and doctors surgeries. Do these clowns even think about this, or are they just blindly trying to concrete over the island, killing off any habitat for wildlife, destroying fields and habitats for birds, insects and other forms of life that make those fields their homes.
these idiots are destroying the island and its environment to make money
the island needs clean air, fields, less traffic, less people and less idiots wrecking it for money
Why not move migrant families to the island and house them in
these homes, much better than many of what you describe as undesirables who currently live on the island.
Better than the speeding drink and drug driving numpties
who live on the island, don’t you agree islander.
The island needs more culture, it is stuck in a time warp.
More migrants and more culture?
Are you sick in the head? That’s exactly what we dont want or need
There is nothing sustainable about building on a green field site however you enhance the wildlife habitat and mitigate the impact. On the bright side, it’s very near the medina to be able to pump the sewage into.
the best way to mitigate the impact is not build it at all – everything else is optice, theatre and BS
This has to be a joke right!? Northwood parish council can decline 3, just 3 houses being built but we have to put up with this. It’s disgusting, there’s no logic to this whatsoever, struggle to get a doctor’s appointment as it is, parking around Cowes is becoming impossible, just leaving Cowes to get to Newport is becoming impossible. These clown councils and governments need to go!
Where are the affordable housing contributions going??
It’s sold to us like it will benefit the island but in reality it will only harm the local community. Councils used to be there to serve the public but now they just use their power to make corrupt decisions and create underhand deals with people like Mr Biles who has no interest whatsoever in the Cowes community and only wants to fatten his bank account