Members of East Cowes Town Council have voted to adopt its ‘Town Plan 2021-2036’, which compiles the wishes and concerns of local residents from 4,886 pages of survey data into a series of strategic policies.
Residents living within the Town Council boundary were surveyed via a detailed seven-page anonymous questionnaire, hand-delivered to 3,850 households. This survey was also available online. There were 428 responses online and 270 responses on paper, for an overall response rate of 18 per cent of households.
A key gateway to the Isle of Wight
East Cowes is a key gateway to the Isle of Wight, and so the town is the first impression for many of the visitors who are critical to the Island’s economy.
The East Cowes Town Plan reflects the pride that local people have in their community, and will be considered by the Town Council in future decisions involving infrastructure, economic regeneration and housing development.
FB6 most cited for improvement
The aspect of the town most often cited as in need of improvement by residents was Floating Bridge 6 or the ‘chain ferry’, mentioned by 211 of the households which responded. The new Town Plan supports research on a reliable crossing between the centres of East and West Cowes.
Other policies in the Town Plan include:
- Support for new and improved cycle routes, including upgrade of the ‘Round the Island’ route to provide safe junctions and a more direct connection to Newport.
- Promotion of local employment through support for existing business and start-up units, and parcel & pallet logistics in the town centre.
- Working with local businesses to develop a weekly open-air market selling fresh food and local produce in the town centre.
To inform the Neighbourhood Plan
The strategic goals of the Town Plan are intended to inform the detailed policies within a forthcoming Neighbourhood Plan, which will be put to local residents in a referendum.
The East Cowes Town Plan 2021-2036 can be found below or downloaded from the Plan Research Website.
