We always welcome a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below. This from Cllr Karl Love, East Cowes. Ed
Speaking personally, I wanted to thank everyone who attended the Norris Castle and Spring Hill planning consultation meeting on Thursday. It certainly raised a few eyebrows. More wider consultations will follow.
As you will see the government is also debating green belt building issues in Parliament. This is very relevant to our Island and we watch with interest on how our local MP, Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Andrew Turner, performs!
Norris and Spring Hill estates are surrounded by historic parklands, grade 1 listed areas, conservation areas and green belt. Although they are not currently accessible to the public, they are valuable asserts to our towns people.
Have your say
It’s important for everyone to get involved, whatever your opinions, have your say. To be fair to the owners of Norris, they are at least engaging early in consultation with local people, even if some of their ideas are not agreeable.
I think democratic discussion and community engagement has finally arrived in East Cowes. Red Funnel could learn so much from this approach, as I hope others who intend to developed our town will.
Prop up the council coffers
I find it disappointing, as announced at the Norris consultation meeting, that Isle of Wight council have been in discussion with the developers behind closed doors for many months.
Perhaps they smell the money of developers which may help prop up the coffers of the Island’s failing budgets!
It looks like our council, as I have stated before, see East Cowes as its piggy bank saviour!
Floating Bridge cash cow
Yet, they also propose to punish East Cowes people for their own council budget failures by increasing the foot passenger crossing to £1.50.
That’s pretty bad news for our town business community and the workers who’s rely on the Floating Bridge crossing. It further divides and restricts community access on both sides of the river.
It’s a disproportionately unfair tax distribution onto the shoulders of the people of Cowes. The floating bridge makes lots of money for the Isle of Wight council and now they suggest a greedy stealth tax which disadvantages a small part of the Island population.
Battle ground for developers
East Cowes has clearly become the battle ground for developers on the Island and its townspeople are caught up in the middle.
Make sure you have your say, contact all your local councillors, the press and make your comments known.
