Thousands of pounds of health care investment will be needed if a proposed Isle of Wight housing development goes ahead, an NHS board has said.
Commenting on Colwell Bay View Ltd’s contentious outline application for 27 homes on land next to Spring Hill off Freshwater’s Colwell Road, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight said a contribution of £16,148 towards ‘increasing primary care infrastructure’ would be required to mitigate the development’s impact on local services.
Writing to the Isle of Wight Council, the integrated care board (ICB) said the proposal would bring an estimated 56 new residents to the area who would not be able to be absorbed by existing medical centres which have ‘insufficient capacity’.
The ICB said:
“Without the contribution to increase the physical capacity, the proposed development will put too much strain on the said health infrastructure, putting people at risk.
“Waiting times would increase and access to adequate health service would decline, resulting in poorer health outcomes and prolonged health problems. Such an outcome is not sustainable as it will have a detrimental socio-economic impact.
“In addition, having no or limited access to primary care will have a knock-on effect on secondary healthcare, in particular on Emergency Department services, as those people who cannot access their primary care usually will present themselves at the Emergency Department adding additional pressure on the already stretched secondary care.
“The development directly affects the ability to provide the health service required to those who live in the development and the community at large.”
The ICB added that without contributions, the ICB would object to the application based on its ‘direct and adverse’ impact on primary health care services.
County Hall planning policy states the council will ‘collect and use contributions from developers’ to facilitate improvements to services and infrastructure required as a result of development.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England’s Isle of Wight group expressed similar concerns in an objection filed on Monday.
The countryside charity said the new housing would further exacerbate pressure on public services including doctors, dentists and elderly care.
Colwell Bay View’s agent, Plan Research, previously said the development would ‘go some way’ towards providing ‘much-needed housing’ in Freshwater.
The consultancy said 35 per cent of the housing would be ‘affordable’, with the scheme also delivering ‘significant wildlife enhancements’ and ‘public footway improvements’.
A public consultation on the application is due to close on February 18 and County Hall is expected to reach a decision on April 8.
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