As reported by News OnTheWight on Tuesday, affordable housing at a rural site was sacrificed in order to help the sought-after West Wight to Newport Greenway (a route for cyclists, walkers and horse riders).
The 16-home development at Lee Farm, Wellow, was permitted by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee on Tuesday.
Land given over as part of the deal
Owners of the farm will also hand over 1.75 km of land, some of which is the former railway track, to the Isle of Wight Council, to create the ‘Greenway’ route.
The landowner, Yarmouth mayor Steve Cowley, will also bear the brunt of £155,000 construction costs, to make the land suitable as a track fit for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.
No affordable housing
However, the development will not see include affordable housing.
Instead, a financial contribution of more than £27,000 will go towards provision elsewhere.
The application lived and died, Cllr Matthew Price said, on the choice between affordable housing and the walking and cycling infrastructure.
He said it was a tough decision as officers had said it may be the only chance the council had to secure the land towards the Greenway.
Brodie: IWC can’t cast away the one-off opportunity
Cllr Geoff Brodie said it was a real tension issue, but he had no doubt the brownfield site should be developed as there was housing need in the area.
He said the council could not cast away the one-off opportunity although it would mean the loss of six affordable properties.
No objections
Councillors approved the application with eight in favour, none against and two abstentions because those members did not go on the site visit.
Conditions were added, however, to ensure the Greenway was built and the money provided for affordable housing was spent in the local area.
Greenway constructed when 50-75 per cent of homes occupied
The houses will be built first, but before they are fully occupied (somewhere between 50 and 75 per cent occupation), councillors stipulated the Greenway must be constructed.
The use of the land as a public route will be available from the start of the project, once the legal agreement has been signed and handed over to the council.
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
