Plans to use five homes for parenting development courses have provoked an outcry from residents and councillors of an Isle of Wight coastal town.
Shanklin Central’s County Hall representative, Cllr Michael Beston, and Shanklin Town Council said Jon Surman’s change of use application would ‘displace current longstanding tenants’ from their homes, one of whom is 81.
Mr Surman is seeking to house a Residential Children and Parent Assessment Centre in Flats 1 – 4 on 14 Park Road and in a bungalow at 29 Clarendon Road in Shanklin.
A statement prepared by his agent, SJC Planning, said:
“The proposal is to use the four flats of 14 Park Road for assisted parenting development courses – three flats will remain as residential with the fourth, a ground floor flat, being used to accommodate an office, training room, kitchen and toilet (there are no physical changes required to the building).
“The courses are residential in nature and last approximately 16 weeks during which time the clients are monitored and helped with parenting techniques and behaviour by qualified social workers and health professionals.
“The clients live independently with their children and are largely responsible for themselves in terms of cooking, cleaning and washing, but with guidance and help available.
“These placements are typically used by local authorities, including the Isle of Wight Council, and have proved very successful in improving the parenting abilities for those most in need.
“The bungalow (29 Clarendon Road) will be brought into use some months later, and is likely to be used as a ‘halfway house’ for those clients who have completed the 16-week course, but are not confident, quite ready or simply waiting on their own accommodation to become available.”
Mr J. Newnham, a resident of one of the flats, said:
“I am 81 years old and live on my own. I have been here for 24 years. I have nowhere to go. There are a lot of empty places on the Island. Why did he (Mr Surman) pick us?”
Shanklin Town Council clerk Stella Janeway said the authority’s members ‘object strongly’ to the application.
Setting out the council’s objection, she said:
“If granted this would result in displacing current longstanding tenants from their homes, one over the age of 80.
“What alternative accommodation is available for the elderly tenants forced to leave their long-term homes, and what support would the Isle of Wight Council give these tenants to help them?
“The Island is experiencing a housing crisis; available figures show that in 2022 there were 2,468 applicants on the housing register – this is obviously higher in 2025.”
Cllr Beston also lodged an objection, saying ‘permanently’ displacing ‘eight longstanding tenants’ would seem ‘difficult to understand and accept’.
County Hall’s public consultation on the application ended on January 31 and a decision is expected on February 17.
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