Six Isle of Wight Council-owned sites will be reviewed for delivery of social rent housing to address the Island’s housing crisis.
County Hall representatives agreed to take forward a list of assets in Lake, Nettlestone, Newport and Yarmouth at Monday’s Extraordinary Full Council meeting (16th March 2026).
Councillors passed a Land and Property Asset Disposal Policy in July 2025 which requires all potentially surplus council assets to be assessed for their suitability and viability in delivering social rent housing, according to an officers’ report.
The List
- Berry Hill, Lake (former Island Learning Centre)
- Eddington Road, Nettlestone (grazing field)
- 17 Fairlee Road, Newport (former social services HQ)
- Medina Avenue, Newport (former driving test centre)
- Pyle Street, Newport (acquired from Home England)
- Mill Lane, Yarmouth (part of former Yarmouth School)
Addressing the housing crisis
The report said County Hall has a ‘clear ambition’ in its current corporate plan to address the housing crisis for Island residents.
It said,
“Given the council’s successful bid for Council Housebuilding Support Fund grant and the very tight timescales for the use of these funds, (received mid November 2025 and to be spent by 31st March 2026), this funding has been utilised to assist with the progression at pace of the Land and Asset Disposal policy ambitions to bring them (sites) forward to pre-application or full planning application stage for suitability as social rent housing purposes.”
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
