Did you know that there is an Island Planning Strategy Draft 2018 document sitting (or hiding?) on the council website expecting comments to be made BY NOON ON MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2019?
You can find the document at https://iow-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/planning/ipsdraft2018/
To date, there have only been 12 comments from across the island. We only came across it when someone flagged up on FaceBook that the deadline was only a few weeks away.
Apparently, the parish councillors have had a joint meeting with the Wroxall councillors and the planning department. Unfortunately, as usual, they do not seem keen to share their thoughts and recommendations with any of us in Godshill. There is nothing on the parish council website about Island Planning Strategy Draft 2018.
There are three development areas identified for Godshill:
Land at Moor Farm – at least 45 homes
Land at Deacons Nursery, Moor View – at least 50 homes
Land adjoining Scotland Farm and Tresslewood Care Village, Scotland Corner – at least 30 homes
However, if you look at figures elsewhere on the number of houses being built per acre (12!), then these three sites, totalling just over 20 acres, could yield 240 NEW HOMES! What’s more, these fields, with planning permission, could yield their owners anything up to about £50 MILLION POUNDS. I wonder who the land owners are?
When the Godshill Village Plan was drawn up as recently as 2013, Moor Farm was not included in proposed development area but the other two sites were. This plan was accepted by the IWC and yet it is being ignored now. Surely the parish council should be jumping up and down. Sadly none of the working committee are now on the parish council – apart from the Chairman.
The document can still be read even though comments can no longer be made. It has been suggested that if you would like to make your opinions known, you can send them directly by email to the Chair of the Planning Committee, Chris Quirk, chris.quirk@iow.gov.uk. You might consider sending him an email asking for the comments to be opened up for another month!