Work to build a brand new retail park in Newport, which will see the likes of McDonalds, Costa and Aldi take residency, has not yet begun – despite diggers being seen on site.
Locals have noted the presence of diggers at St George’s Park this week, sparking excitement that work is finally getting underway to develop the new 78,000 sqft retail park which will include 2 drive-thrus, a DIY store with garden centre, a discount foodstore and a non-food retailer or gym.
However, those behind the scheme have confirmed to Island Echo that planning permission has still not been granted in relation to their latest application and that the work taking place is relating to a survey.
As previously reported by Island Echo, a planning application was lodged in 2018 to demolish the former home ground of Newport IW FC and build a retail park in its place. Permission was granted in October 2019 but, in March of this year, a second application was submitted. The new application, which is yet to be determined, is smaller in scale with around 20% less floor space but with the addition of a second drive-thru.
Tony Wake, developer of the new retail park, has said:
“We have lodged a revised planning application for a slightly smaller retail scheme with the IW Council and are currently awaiting for news on its determination. In advance of that, we are carrying out some survey work at the site which will provide us with additional information relevant to the build.
“The new park when completed will bring complementary retail and leisure choices for the island as well as significant job opportunities for local people and in addition secure the funding to deliver the already-approved new football stadium for Newport FC and local community groups.”
A recent retail appraisal conducted on behalf of the Isle of Wight Council has found that whilst the proposal is consistent with the requirements of current retail planning policy, the applicant has not demonstrated that the proposal is consistent with the requirements of the retail impact test.
Work on building the new Newport IW Football Club ground at Racecourse, near Whippingham, is expected to begin later this year. It had been proposed that the ground could be built at Seaclose Park instead but that idea has since been curtailed. It’s hoped that the new WightFibre Park will be complete by next Summer.
Should never of moved from Church Litten!
Such a shame to see the once pride of island football reach such lows in its history. Up the Port!
Another nail in Newport High Street’s coffin. We have an Aldi in Lake, why do we need another?
Agreed Mr Blogs. “significant job opportunities” realy more like re employing those that have lost their jobs on the high street. SAD.
Wrong location for a football ground , just glad I don’t live in the near by road / the old main road
More rubbish shops, MacDonald to make you fat, Costa to make you hyper and lidls selling cheap rubbish food, we need a quality store like waitrose
Waitrose sells you the same crap Dear, just for more money.
I agree but sadly these developers know that the Island has been overrun by chavs and those rubbish shops are the sort of thing most of them like. I just worry about all the habitats that will be lost and wild plants that grow in and around that area I wonder if anyone from any of the organisations that work to protect wildlife and native plants ever inspect these areas to see if they can be protected from these destructive and unnecessary develpments?
I think your comment ” sparking excitement ” a bit over the top. Who would be excited about the same shops we have already close by being built? A wasted opportunity to ”big up” the Island with some decent stores.
Why not build an up to date respite centre there including dental and medical care thus taking a bit of pressure away from St Mary,s instead of a retail park that will only pay the usual poor wages and encourage more poor choices when it comes to diet and living a bit more healthily!
More land lost and more goodness knows how many wild plants and therefore wildlife habitats will be gone, permanently destroyed. Made even worse when it’s to inflict the likes of yet more rubbish establishments on us, like McDonalds & Costa and no need for yet another Aldi either. But as the Island seems so unfortunately filled by chavvy types now, I guess that means loads of them will congregate round there, littering with their discarded rubbish like they do in every area they go into. The nearby areas already get contaminated by empty cartons, wrappers & cans thrown into the hedgerows and the wild park area doesn’t escape either
I agree that the area will be further littered with rubbish and the wildlife and nature will suffer. There are nesting Blackcaps, Wrens, Bullfinches and endangered Dormice in the hedgerows. My concern is how do we know the new proposed football ground outside of Newport will be any more financially successful than St George’s was in later years. More green space will sadly be turned into concrete. Why isn’t St George’s football ground given a facelift with more sporting and social facilities added, eg an Eco gym powered by cycle machines. If it was managed efficiently it could make a profit. Let’s think creatively.
Has anyone from the island planning dept. done a recent survey to see how many empty units there are currently on the Newport industrial estate?
If the proposed football ground at the Racecourse is no more successful than the grounds were at St George’s, what will happen to that football stadium in a few years…..more retail units?
What about primark??
“Chav Paradise” refuse to come to the Isle of Wight. So why don’t the loads who live here go to live in the areas where the Primarks are?
Fast food and fast fashion are 2 areas that have contributed to the climate crisis we are all facing at the moment. If only property developers would think more carefully about what will benefit our island community long term.