Calls have been made to ‘get on’ with the Island’s crucial planning document after it stalled again – after councillors waited months for government guidance which still hasn’t materialised.
The draft Island Planning Strategy (DIPS) has been in the making for six years now, costing hundreds of thousands of pounds in officers’ time.
Once it is approved, the DIPS will be the Island’s ‘planning bible’ — setting guidelines and targets for the Isle of Wight Council to follow.
Awaiting new government legislation and policies
It was last discussed by the authority in May when it was decided to wait for new government legislation and policies, which have not yet come forward.
Cabinet member for planning, Councillor Paul Fuller gave an update to members of the regeneration and neighbourhoods scrutiny committee last week and said the DIPS had not moved on since May but the momentum was to now move forward and get the DIPS done.
Love: Criticised ‘inter-party politics’
Councillor Karl Love said the council had failed and it should have nailed the plan ages ago, instead of going round and round with ‘inter-party politics’.
He said while the Island didn’t have a plan it was vulnerable to unwanted development and they just needed to get on and do it, as it was holding the Island back.
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans said without an Island Plan there is uncertainty for everyone and having invested so much there was a responsibility to carry the work through. She said it risked becoming the HS2 of the Isle of Wight.
Two years to become fully ratified and adopted
It was hoped the draft plan will now come to January’s full council meeting although Councillor Fuller said it would still have a couple of years to go before it comes to be a fully ratified and adopted plan.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
