Dozens of extra affordable homes could be included in plans for a huge Isle of Wight housing development at West Acre Park in Ryde.
Westridge Village (IOW) has applied to alter conditions attached to a 2025 planning consent for a 473-home development including commercial space, a doctor’s surgery and a cafe.
Captiva Homes said the purpose of the application is to facilitate a revised affordable housing delivery strategy.
What the revised affordable housing mix would look like
Subject to necessary approvals and agreements being completed, the development would deliver 207 affordable homes in total, up from the approved 166 units.
The developer said this represents around 44 per cent of all housing on the site, increased from 35 per cent.
Out of the 207 total, 135 would be for social rent, 58 in shared ownership and 14 as discount market sale properties.
The overall number of planned homes, 473, would remain unchanged under the plans.
Developer’s case for the changes
A spokesperson for Captiva Homes said,
“We are particularly pleased that these proposals would create a range of affordable housing options for local people, recognising that there is no single solution to the Island’s housing challenges.
“The mix of social rent, shared ownership and discount market sale homes would provide different routes into housing for people at different stages of life and with different financial circumstances.
“If approved, West Acre Park would deliver 207 affordable homes without increasing the overall size of the development, making it one of the most significant contributions to affordable housing provision on the Isle of Wight in recent years.”
Other amendments included in the application
Other proposed changes include removing some bay windows from specific house types and changes to the layout, scale and orientation of homes within several development phases, according to the applicant’s agent, BCM Wilson Hill.
Local reaction: support and concern
A Ryde Town Council spokesperson said the public body had previously objected to the West Acre Park development but referred to a ‘prominent view’ that the council was supportive of the revisions’ aims which accommodate the increase in the number of affordable homes.
However, in an objection on behalf of an elderly relative living next to the site, Helen George accused Captiva Homes of seeking to ‘sneak in’ amendments to Phase A of the plans which ‘materially affect’ neighbouring properties in Grasmere Avenue.
She said,
“Despite meeting residents and reassuring them of their commitment to maintaining good relations during the building process they have blatantly sought to achieve an alternative design by hiding it in large amounts of documents seeking variations of conditions with no consultation or advising affected existing properties.”
Nettlestone and Seaview Parish Council said it cannot make a decision on the latest application without further clarification of the changes to condition ten, included in the interests of highway safety and to comply with Island planning policy.
Next steps
The proposal can be viewed on the Isle of Wight Council’s planning register (26/00490/RVC).
A decision is expected by 24th July 2026.
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
