Nick Stuart, Chair of the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats, Andrew Garratt, councillor for Parkhurst and Bob Blezzard, candidate for Newport West, share their response to the Island Conservatives’ Newport Riverside Quarter plans.
In his their words. Ed
This proposal from the Conservatives is flimsy political theatre. It lacks genuine detail, with just vague nods towards housing and the environment.
The decline in Newport’s retailing high street, alongside the vibrancy of the many side street independent businesses has been obvious for years. As the ruling group, the Conservatives could have started dealing with these issues years ago.
Plans will have the opposite effect
Instead, their proposals would accelerate the decline of our county town’s retailing.
And by using the Government’s controversial new planning laws, they risk creating housing of a minimal standard with the public getting very little chance to have their say.
Public assets being sold off to private benefit
We all remember that the removal of housing from the Seaclose plans was forced on them due to their inability to consider or consult people most affected.
Their plans for the harbour seem to offer public assets being sold off to private benefit.
Need environmentally-friendly building techniques
It’s right to look for solutions to the Island’s housing crisis. But this needs a proper plan to re-use brown field sites, with an emphasis on modern, environmentally friendly building techniques that use low resources and result in low running costs.
‘Half-baked’ ideas
The prime minister liked to refer to his ideas as being ‘oven-ready’.
With this Conservative idea, the public will easily see that it is ‘half-baked’.
