Isle of Wight submits plans for its largest urban development

The Isle of Wight Council has submitted a planning application for one of the largest urban development projects ever undertaken on the Island.

The council is yet to find a developer for the 800-home scheme which is planned for Newport, the Island’s principal town. The development will include 254 affordable units, subsidised by a grant of over £11m from the Homes & Communities Agency.

Supported by WYG Planning & Design as lead planning consultants, the council, as landowner, has submitted the planning application. The scheme will deliver on the Eco Island agenda - the Isle of Wight's Sustainable Community Strategy - by creating one of the largest all-tenure housing schemes to achieve a minimum of Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The application includes plans for a wood-burning biomass centre which will supply heat and hot water to all the homes within the scheme, with the possibility of extending energy provision to existing homes on the adjacent Pan estate through retrofitting, as well as to a future adjacent employment area.

The biomass centre will be combined with a visitor centre for a new 10 ha country park, which will provide recreational facilities for residents and replacement habitat for protected species such as dormice that may be displaced by the development.

It is hoped to achieve planning permission and to secure a purchaser for the site before commencing development next spring.