Undercliff Drive SSSI site July 2015 after trees cut down

Possible Undercliff Drive land swap details leaked (updated)

The Isle of Wight council is in negotiations with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust over a possible land-swap, the County Press (CP) are reporting.

Land swap
The CP piece claims the IWC is suggesting a land-swap for woodland at Undercliff Drive – to enable a new access road further inland to be built – for the freehold of 40 acres of land at Alverstone Mead.

Needs to progress quickly
According to the CP, the leaked papers for the September Executive meeting, state:

“The council needs to progress the land swap and highway works quickly, before the winter begins.

“Accordingly, works have already commenced on the council-owned land [at Undercliff Drive] with the works to be undertaken on the trust’s woodland starting once the trust’s land is in council ownership.

“It is hoped that the road improvement scheme will be complete and the road will open by late autumn.”

Papers leaked
The CP reporter cites the source for their story to be leaked papers, due to be delivered to the Executive meeting, which is nearly two weeks off (15th September).

The documents have had a limited circulation, not having even been distributed to all members of the Executive, never mind all other councillors.

Less than a week ago, OnTheWight reported on the mystery behind the asbestos claims at Undercliff Drive.

Update 4.Sep.2015 06:51 Re-worked after of further details coming to light post-publishing, which shifted the focus from the leak to the possible deal.

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