Developers behind a major housing scheme in Ryde are ready to start building — as soon as the Isle of Wight Council gives the final permission.
Over a year ago, permission was given by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee for the second phase of West Acre Park for a further 473 homes.
However, developer, Captiva Homes, is still waiting for the final sign-off before they can start digging foundations in Westridge.
A section 106 legal agreement is still between parties, needing to be signed by all stakeholders before formal planning permission can be issued.
Hope is on the horizon for the Island housebuilders who believe the approval will be in the not-too-distant future.
Iain Delaney, Captiva’s chief executive, said:
“It is out of our hands. We have seen a draft, final copy and the agreement is out for signing; it is simply the time it takes to get through the system which has been complicated.”
The granting of planning permission has been viewed as controversial, with a campaign set up against the Isle of Wight Council, ready to launch a judicial review.
Campaigners, Save Westridge Farm, believe there were flaws in the way the planning application was decided and has raised more than £18,000 to fight the matter, should the review be accepted.
Mr Delaney said delivering on the potential of West Acre Park is the company’s number one priority and they hope building work could start in the new year, with the first properties occupied in the summer.
The first phase of the development — 86 homes — has now been completed and all contracts exchanged.
Figures released by Captiva Homes, say 80 per cent of the property reservations came from Islanders and 45 per cent from Ryde itself.
Of the 86 properties, 50 per cent were sold to first-time buyers.
The average sales value of the first phase was £277,000, compared with the Island’s average house price of nearly £298,000.
None of the first phase were sold to second-home owners or buy-to-let property investors.
Mr Delaney said West Acre is a big project, not just by Island standards but also for Captiva which will take eight to nine years.
Each year, between 50 and 60 homes will be built, and included in the first round of homes will be a doctor’s surgery.
Having spoken to GP surgeries, the issue doctors faced with expansion plans, Mr Delaney said, was not a lack of doctors but a lack of new fit-for-purpose facilities for practices to work in.
It was this area, he said, Captiva felt it was making a meaningful difference.
Captiva is currently building Highwood Grove, a 28-property development in Rookley.
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