A number of sources have told On The Wight that Barry Cooke, Head of Property services at the Isle of Wight council has shown the financial backer of The Hambrough Group around the Ventnor Coastal Centre in Dudley Road.
We contacted The Hambrough Group who didn’t deny the visit, but said, “The Hambrough Group have no interest in purchasing the Visitor Coastal Centre at this stage – our focus for the foreseeable is to redevelop the Ventnor Winter Gardens for 2014.”
When we followed this up yesterday evening, asking if it was in fact the Hambrough’s backer that was interested in the Coastal visitor centre, not the Group, we didn’t get a reply.
IWC: Open market sale is the intention
The IWC confirmed on Friday (7th December 2012) last week that the property has not yet gone on the open market.
Late on Tuesday (11th) evening they added, “There is no special purchaser for the Coastal Management Centre. The intention is to offer the property on the open market”, when asked if a Special Purchaser arrangement might be done, a la Blackgang viewpoint car park.
Named for disposal ASAP
The property, which currently houses the Ventnor Town Council and IWC Coastal team, is on the council’s list of assets for disposal and despite being in the 2013/14 programme for sale, IWC chief executive, Steve Beynon said recently that it would be put on the open market ASAP.
Enterprise Hub at centre rejected
Readers may remember that the Ventnor Town Council (VTC) were told by Steve Beynon that the IWC would not consider renting the Coastal Centre to the VTC as part of VTC’s plans to create an Enterprise Hub at the site to help boost the local economy.
Nominated as an ‘Asset of Community Value’
Town clerk David Bartlett confirmed at Monday night’s VTC meeting that they had now nominated the building for inclusion on the Isle of Wight Council’s List of Assets of Community Value.
We’ll let you know once this is confirmed as listed.
History since 2009
On The Wight first raised the issue of the building being sold off by the IWC in 2009 when Barry Cooke said, “Any such decision will be taken via the democratic processes of the council.”
Sale of the Ventnor Winter Gardens to The Hambrough Group for £1 is about to be finalised, with contracts recently having been exchanged.
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Richard ‘Tenspeed’ Heaven
