CPRE, The Countryside Charity, has welcomed various improvements to the draft Island Planning Strategy document (IPS), but remains concerned that the Island’s natural beauty and green fields are still not adequately protected from unscrupulous property developers’ housing schemes.
Over the next 15 years, the draft IPS allows for the creation of 7,290 new homes many of which are on greenfield sites and with little guarantee that they will meet Islanders’ needs.
Some changes welcomed
CPRE notes that many aspects of the draft IPS have been improved following public consultation in 2018/19, for example the lower housing targets (by 25 per cent), the removal of two proposed garden villages, the removal of 75 allocated sites, greater emphasis on sympathetic design and high-quality materials, and the banning of development outside of settlement boundaries.
Housing targets remain too high
Nonetheless the overall targets for new housing remain too high considering the Island is predicted to have a falling population over the next 15 years (due to a declining birth rate and increased off-Island migration).
It is equally concerning to see that the 75 removed allocated sites are still being encouraged to come forward via various planning loopholes, and thus could still be developed. The high number of new homes planned still panders to government targets as opposed to real Island need.
Unrealistic targets
Not only are the high targets undesirable, but they are also unrealistic owing to the limitations of building suppliers on the Island.
In recent years, no more than 300 homes have been built per year due to capacity issues.
Furthermore, the Island now has the highly-prized UNESCO Biosphere status, something which the council would be foolish to lose through over-development of the countryside.
Haig-Thomas: Building the right homes in the right places
Alex Haig-Thomas, Chair of CPRE Isle of Wight, said,
“Decimation of the Island’s green fields to meet government targets is non-sensical and must be stopped. We must, of course, house those Islanders who are currently living in unsuitable accommodation, by building the right homes in the right places as a matter of urgency.
“Likewise, we require affordable new homes to meet Islanders’ needs but we should not be destroying the Island’s natural assets to build swathes of houses not required by locals”
Re-use brownfield land, high streets and in-fills
CPRE argues that the council should be encouraging the re-use of brownfield land including our decimated high-streets as well as “in-fills” between existing residences to meet housing need, with green fields only being utilised in exceptional circumstances.
High quality build which also reflects the character of the Island must be a priority, something which CPRE notes that the latest draft of IPS promotes. The Island has suffered from low quality and poor design developments in the past, as developers rush to put up homes and generate as much profit as possible.
Removal of allocated sites
CPRE supports the removal of the Donkey Field and Farmers’ Field (HA073) from the list of allocated sites in this latest draft of the IPS, but will continue to push for the removal of the allocated Bembridge sites (HA064 and HA065) and Crossways in East Cowes (HA046) among several others.
CPRE also objects to the proposal to designate Freshwater and Bembridge as Secondary Settlements, on account of local infrastructure not being able to cope with this level of development and the potential damage it could do to the nature and character of the communities.
Haig-Thomas: Will work with MP for ‘Exceptional Circumstances’
Alex Haig-Thomas notes,
“Islanders must speak up before Friday 1st October to prevent targets being set for thousands of unnecessary new homes.
“Simultaneously, we will work with our MP Bob Seely to put the case to Westminster for the Island to be granted ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ as an Island Park to free us from damaging central government targets.”
Draft document
Head over to the Isle of Wight council’s Website to find out more and links to all the documents.
News shared by Ian on behalf of Isle of Wight CPRE, in his own words. Ed
Image: Annie Spratt under CC BY 2.0
