Isle of Wight Council has told OnTheWight it will close its planning enforcement case at the Ventnor Winter Gardens, saying the landowner has carried out all works the council requested and that the visual harm to the surrounding area no longer exists.
The decision follows questions OnTheWight put to the council after last week’s report that a local builder was considering a skills-led revival bid for the long-neglected seafront venue.
What the council’s powers actually cover
The council’s enforcement team worked with the landowner under the threat of Section 215 powers – legislation that deals specifically with amenity and visual appearance rather than structural matters.
Crucially, the council did not need to formally invoke those powers. Instead, a pre-Section 215 letter prompted the landowner to carry out the required works, meaning the process never escalated to formal enforcement.
The council made clear to OnTheWight that Section 215 itself has limits,
“Planning legislation, through Section 215 powers, is specifically focused on amenity and appearance.
“It does not extend to structural matters, which are governed through other statutory frameworks and responsibilities.”
That distinction matters to many local people who have followed the site’s deterioration, since concerns about the building go well beyond how it looks from the street.
Works carried out at the council’s request
The council says the landowner cooperated throughout and completed every piece of work the enforcement team requested, making any further action unnecessary.
It told OnTheWight,
“The landowner has been cooperative and has carried out all works requested by the council. As a result, formal enforcement action has not been required and the visual harm has now been resolved.”
The council described the works as proportionate to the impact the building had on the surrounding area.
Actions questioned by local councillor
Councillor Ed Blake, the Conservative councillor for Ventnor and St Lawrence, responded to the news by saying,
“I disagree with the Council that the Planning Enforcement Notice has been completed to a satisfactory standard.
“Yes, windows have been replaced and paint has been renewed; but the roof was the most major part of that notice and no work has been done to it and tarpaulin remains in place as the only protection against the elements.”
The backdrop: a long list of outstanding actions
Those following the Winter Gardens story will recall that, back in September 2025, a meeting heard that the then-owner had completed only three of 19 required actions, leaving 16 items outstanding.
The council’s decision to close the enforcement case, may raise further questions among residents and community groups who want to see the building brought back into use.
What happens next
The council acknowledged the importance of the Winter Gardens to the local community and said it would “continue to engage where appropriate through the relevant regulatory routes.”
OnTheWight will continue to follow developments at the site.
Article edit
11am 11th Jun 2026 – EB comment added
