A countryside charity has joined calls for the Isle of Wight council to use more up-to-date data in its latest housing strategy.
The Isle of Wight branch of CPRE — The Countryside Charity (previously the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) is throwing its weight behind a change in the figures.
Approving the Island Planning Strategy
Next week, the council is looking to approve the Island Planning Strategy (IPS) which will set housing targets and planning policies developers and builders will have to stick to for the next 15 years.
However, one argument that has erupted recently is over the use of 2014 housing predictions from the Office of National Statistics.
Annual housing targets
The draft plan, in its current form, argues the Island should only build 479 homes a year — compared to the government-set target of 730 — but campaigners wish to see it shrunk even further to around 70.
Not all councillors agree with all aspects of the plan and the council says it may not be perfect but it gives the council the best opportunity to get a sound strategy in place as quickly as possible.
Emphasis on need for housing which is ‘affordable to Islanders’
Cabinet member Cllr Chris Jarman is arguing for a change in the figures, due to what he calls outdated data, saying the council should use the recently published 2021 census figures and projections instead of 2014 housing predictions.
In a motion to full council next week, Cllr Jarman is asking the housing need to be recalculated and particular emphasis put on the need for housing, which is ‘affordable to Islanders’.
Wellby: Government-imposed housing targets are ill-suited
Ian Wellby, CPRE trustee, said they have long-argued the government-imposed housing targets are ill-suited to the Island’s unique housing market.
He said, in 2019, CPRE commissioned independent research which showed the target that formed the basis of the draft IPS was based on flawed statistics and methodology — including the use of out-of-date projections.
Mr Wellby said,
“Other serious flaws in the methodology include failing to account for the fact that Island housing demand does not stem from local demand — more people die here than are born on the Island — but rather from being a uniquely attractive area to move to.”
2014 projections
Isle of Wight council officers argue the government expects the 2014 projections to be used for assessing local need and the current approach the council is taking has a greater likelihood of success when it is scrutinised by the Planning Inspectorate.
The future of the draft IPS will be decided on 5th October.
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
Image: Tool Dude8mm under CC BY 2.0
