An Isle of Wight town council will look into the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) as a long-term solution to dereliction and vacant land problems.
Sandown councillors voted to dedicate office resources to researching and exploring the policy at its meeting on Monday (23rd March), with devolution expected to bring enhanced regeneration and land assembly powers.
CPOs allow public bodies to acquire land compulsorily and when used properly can contribute towards effective and efficient urban and rural regeneration, essential infrastructure, community revitalisation and business promotion, according to the government.
Prior to the vote, Mayor Alex Lightfoot told Sandown Town Council:
“I am seeking approval from council for us to properly get into looking at CPO as a long-term solution to some of our more problematic sites.
“With a view to the fact that with devolution coming and the increased CPO powers from the mayoral authority and potential upcoming changes to planning legislation that may affect the criteria of CPOs, that we start to do some of the legwork in preparation for money being available.”
Councillor Ian Boyd, a Sandown North representative, said:
“I think it’s absolutely the right thing to do, it sends an important signal, a statement of intent.
“The role of the mayoral authority is going to be super important, and it’ll be the places that have flagged their intention to take CPOs seriously that will be first in the queue.”
Local county and town councillor Debbie Andre said:
“In terms of Sandown, this is the one thing that will really make a difference.
“We’re actively doing something that the community are asking us for.”
Another Sandown North town councillor, Joan Solomon, said:
“I’m in full agreement, we have to have our foot in the door, but I worked it out as being a four and a half to five-year programme once you get going and you can only do CPO as a last resort…you have to go through county council.”
How can the council afford to buy derelict properties when they are millions in debt?
About time, the island is full of derelict sh*tholes
Start with the old Royal York Hotel in George Street and the old
Gymnasium opposite Ryde St Johns Road.
The Hotel hardly looks Royal thesedays.
These places could house persons who need homes.
We should definitely be using derelict buildings and empty sites as potential places to build new houses before digging up new land in our search for new housing. It will tidy places up, and stop attracting vandals and arsonists.
But that said – the Council made compulsory purchases of two lovely houses at Westridge many years ago, and these have just been left to rot with knackered old Harris fencing around them. They don’t look much better than the Ocean Hotel!
Yor cannot make cmments like that on the island, it smacks of common sense.
Wow. Someone has had a brain fart… this has been suggested numerous times by many people that have commented here over the years!!!!
So what does Sandown Town Council want on the site? What will it accept? What will it refuse? Costing Sandown residents £100,000 with no explanation, typical mismanagement but it’s the residents who pick up the bill.
Don’t explore, just do it. or give the owners 6 months to completely remedy the issue or demolish the sites, leaving them clear and apply all charges directly to the owners through the courts. Just be bold, there are positive steps being taken in Sandown, the painting along the high street has improved the visuals, lots of good community events and feeling. Just stop allowing these property owners to leave these eyesores fallow, take action and demolish if they wont. Follow up by giving them 6 months to submit plans for the site or compulsory purchase form them. there is a housing need, could there not be more flats or community spaces there?
You may wish to do something about the eyesores, but as a town council you have no legal power for compulsory purchase, only the IOW cuncil has that remit and they are singular adverse to ever taking that action.