Just weeks after closing its doors to residential visitors, YMCA Winchester House in Shanklin has been placed on the market as a potential development site.
A large board has been placed outside the building this week, advertising the site as a ‘development site for sale’ and highlighting 1.5 acres with ‘unrivalled views’.
It comes after YMCA Fairthorne Group announced in June that Winchester House would close to school and group residential visits due to a decline in demand.
Residential stays ended last month, bringing to a close decades of school trips and youth stays at the landmark clifftop property overlooking Sandown Bay.
The organisation previously stated that the young mothers’ unit and support services operating on site would remain open, while local community users such as Isle of Wight Foodbank, Men in Sheds and Workskills were given 3 months’ notice to vacate.
Scallywags Fun Club was also told it had to find a new home, with the organisation now settled at its new home in Ryde.
It is not yet clear whether the entire site, including the young mothers’ accommodation, is included in the sale.
Development Solutions, the company tasked with selling the grand Shanklin property, describes itself as ‘working with clients to deliver successful and profitable developments and regeneration projects’.
Island Echo has approached YMCA Fairthorne Group for comment.
