A public survey asking local people how Sandown’s problem with derelict buildings is affecting their lives was launched by Sandown Town Council on 5th June 2025.
After just 11 days it had reached its original target of 1,000 replies. If you haven’t had a chance to join in, or don’t have easy access to the internet, you can still have your say online or using the printed versions of the form that will be available at the Broadway Centre and at Sandown Library, until July 18th when the survey will close.
The town council is also working with The Bay School to gather opinions and concerns about the same issues from the perspective of young people, an essential part of the exercise.
Mayor Alex Lightfoot explains why the consultation was begun:
“We know that Sandown continues to be significantly impacted by derelict, damaged and demolished buildings. Tackling these one at a time, with the limited legal and policy tools available is difficult and frustratingly slow without access to the large sums needed to simply buy them all through compulsory purchase orders. We must continue to pursue all of these regulatory routes but gathering evidence of the total effect of dereliction on the daily lives of the people who live, work and visit here, on the health of individuals and the community at large, will help us to demand the support and investment that the town urgently needs and deserves from government at every level. This will include the new devolved authority which may well improve access to CPO.”
Some of those engaging with the dereliction survey have asked about its format and the choice of questions. To those questions, Councillor Ian Boyd has answered:
“The Sandown Dereliction Survey has been informed by the great work of the Scottish Land Commission and its Vacant and Derelict Land Taskforce which has proven effective and influential. Their initiative was driven by the realisation that almost a third of the Scottish population lives within 500m of a derelict site; in some inner-city neighbourhoods this figure is as high as 55% and this was considered so serious that immediate action was necessary. In Sandown it is 82% and this is clearly unacceptable.”
The impact that dereliction is having on people of all ages in the town is clear in the comments that the survey is receiving, here are just a few examples:
“This space makes me feel unsafe, everybody who comes into the restaurant I work at down the road says how they don’t like coming to Sandown anymore because there is nothing here and it all looked horrible.
“Creates an air of depression for the area. Relatives & friends who visit from the mainland are shocked at the state of Sandown. It looks like a deprived area. Having grown up here it is a sad state of affairs. We have discussed moving away from the Sandown area.”
You can access the online survey here: https://www.sandowntowncouncil.gov.uk/the-sandown-dereliction-survey-2025/, with hard copies available at Sandown Library and the Broadway Centre.
Sandham Grounds is the best thing about
Sandown, the grandchildren love the activities
and the golf.
Yaverland beach is still a great place to take the
Dog for a walk.
Apart from that, the esplanade is full of drunks,
and the pier encourages drunks and persons taking
drugs on to it.
The High Street is looking shabby too.
I use to walk my dog from Sandown to Shanklin
along the revetment.
I no longer take this walk. I am fed up seeing all the
derelict hotels, feral youths and drunks along the esplanade.
Vehicles park on double yellow lines and on the pavement
outside and opposite the pier, sometimes making it UNSAFE
for pedestrians who walk by.
Where are the Councils Civil Enforcement Officers to stop vehicles
parking illegally!
Install bollards next to the old tourist information centre
to stop vehicles parking on the pavement.
Pavements are for pedestrians not vehicles
“The island does not seem to understand this”
I suppose it’s one way for people to get away with
paying to park.
Derelict buildings is one thing, putting curfews and tags on the chavs, low life and feril brats controlling them from breaking in and setting fire to them, making them even more derelict is another. Deal with the problem at it’s source
Drunks and druggies parade around the
High street and Esplanade not good for
tourism or locals.
I have even seen drunks on the pier and
youngsters crashed out on the pier due to
drug taking on the pier.
The pier should stop such persons entering
it is a right turn off for families with young children.