An Isle of Wight developer is set to submit plans for 475 new houses - and a GP surgery - in Ryde.
Captiva Homes revealed proposals for West Acre Park, on land behind Bullen Road, Hope Road and Appley Road, last September.
Following a public consultation, it is now getting ready to submit revised plans to the Isle of Wight Council. It says plans were ready to go three months ago but were delayed due to coronavirus restrictions.
As well as homes and a GP surgery, Captiva plans to use more than a third of the land for 'leisure space'.
Of the proposed homes, Captiva says 166 will be 'affordable'.
Captiva Homes Director James Pink said:
“Our ethos is openness and integrity and to have submitted plans before now felt at odds with this. But we are passionate about the Isle of Wight and we must get the economy up and running again.”
“We have always been about building Island homes for Island people and during the public consultation we had feedback from people about the number of homes available for first time buyers. As a result, we have reduced the number of executive homes and provided more homes for those just starting out on the property ladder.
“We have not reduced the amount of green space we were planning for as lockdown has made people think more about the space they live in and what they value most from their homes. The priorities seem to have shifted with people wanting the ability for separate areas to work from home and of course with better access to high speed internet connectivity.
“Outdoor space has become high on the agenda for people looking to move, with bigger gardens and access to green space on the doorstep.
“In line with Ryde Town Council’s Place Plan, we have a stunning park right at the heart of our West Acre Park development. By placing the landscape at the centre of this development we have been given the unique opportunity to create something truly special, a place where nature in all its beauty and seasonality permeates every aspect of daily life.”
Captiva is already constructing and selling 86 homes off Hope Road.
It is proposed that Appley Road and Bullen Road will provide access to West Acre Park to alleviate the burden on Hope Road.
There is also an additional public footpath proposed to enter the site from Marlborough Road.
Mr Pink said:
The land in this location has been identified as suitable for residential development and the team at Captiva Homes, as local people, felt a commitment to exploring this opportunity to ensure maximum protection and responsible development of the land by Islanders who care about our community. This is the premise we had in mind when we developed the West Acre concept.
“These homes go some way to meeting the housing requirements for our Island now and for future generations, and we have designed our homes to grow with families and give them the opportunity to extend them in the future.”