A £2.4 million scheme, which includes delivery of affordable housing in the centre of the Island, has been recommended for approval by the Isle of Wight Council.
With funding provided via the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, from the government’s ‘Getting Building’ fund, the Isle of Wight Council and Vectis Housing have submitted plans to regenerate the popular former school trip destination, Branstone Farm.
Approval was given earlier in the year for Goddard’s Brewery to expand its facilities to the site near Newchurch, and now council officers are recommending giving another development conditional approval.
Current farm buildings would be demolished, apart from the studies centre and mobile classroom, building 42 affordable homes, 18 rural office units in three buildings, allotments and a biodiversity park.
The business park would be on the southern section of the site, closest to the main road where the current entrance to the site is, with the allotments providing a buffer between the commercial and residential zones.
A mixture of two, three and four-bed houses and bungalows are being proposed.
In the last three years, planning officers said the delivery of affordable housing on the Island has been exceptionally low — with 32 homes built in 2017, 18 in 2018 and none in 2019 — and that this development would hold ‘substantial weight’ in delivering the increase in affordable housing the Island needs.
Officers also said the housing, in its rural location, would maintain local villages by sending children to the primary schools, more business for pubs and shops and more parishioners to churches.
Newchurch Parish Council acknowledged the need for the low-cost housing and had no objection to the mixed-use development but said the houses should be for Islanders with a local connection, the speed limit in the area should be reduced to 40mph and an illuminated walkway should be provided to the crossroads near to the Fighting Cocks.
Eight letters of objection were received for the development relating to issues about the unsustainable and isolated nature of the site, whether there was a need for the industrial units and the potential impact on the surrounding countryside, nearby properties, noise, pollution and traffic.
The Isle of Wight Ramblers’ Association also objected due to impact on public rights of way
The council’s planning officers, however, have recommended the development for approval but with 26 conditions and a £15,000 financial contribution to improve rights of way in Newchurch attached.
Planners said the site would “not only provide rural jobs and high-quality space for existing and new companies but also high-quality affordable homes within an attractive environment. ”
In the planning report, the officers said:
“The lack of housing delivery in recent years is evidence that there is a need to not only unlock urban sites or those within rural service centres but also to release rural sites for housing where impacts are not excessively harmful and sustainable transport choices can be provided.”
The development’s future will be decided by the Isle of Wight Council planning committee, which is meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, December 8) at 4pm.
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