Housing prospects
One issue of negotiation is housing. The government is asking for higher targets of affordable housing and for more homes to be built quicker. More possible sites, large and small are to become available for development. This means green field sites are under more pressure as housing land. Further more the government is demanding slum clearance and improvement to estates without explaining what financial support they have in mind. A large development is considered to be anything over ten units. The term Affordable Housing is used to embrace Social Housing. The statistics show that there are areas of deprivation here. The implications for developers will not be underestimated by them whether they are local or national. Let's hope a balance can be achieved in future projects.
Islanders have spoken out, with varying success, against many developments. Concerns have been chiefly over the number of dwellings, inadequate infrastructure and lack of management to ensure Islander take up. This will continue.
Journeying on the mainland one can see many styles of housing estate with little architectural and environment merit. It can be argued that parts of Hawthorn Meadows in East Cowes and Bluebell Meadows in Newport might appear pleasant but will prove to be the slums of the future because of the increase in housing density and building style whilst parts of Carisbrooke Park Estate, where parts have less social housing units is better for the long and short term sustainability and character of the Island.
The Councillors across the Solent may not understand or appreciate our Isle of Wight specialness and wonder at our concerns so expect some compromises as delegates discuss the issues. Also there are probably more national bodies with vested interested in the island, per acre, than the other counties, and the hope is that they will be involved. Please excuse the initails – NT, EH, AONB, SSSI's Conservation Areas and the Solent and Maritime Agency to name but a few. Also the businesses have a big part to play as another issue under discussion is the Business Rate for the island.
We may, as Isle of Wighters, feel there are enough of these, but perhaps there is one more that might be of great value, that of becoming a World Heritage Site where our incredible human history from Neolithic and earlier to the age of the Space Race is acknowledged. The implications for this in therms of tourism and economy are considerable.
Before any of this happens it is important that we look at and comment on what is being planned so as to conserve and enhance our lives and this island.
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