Draft Island Planning Strategy published for an EXTENDED public consultation

NORTHWOOD RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO RESPOND TO THE CONSULTATION

As you may be aware the IW Council have published a draft Island Planning Strategy (IPS) and accompanying documents (including a draft Habitat Regulations Assessment and a draft Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessment) for public consultation.

The public consultation will run for an extended period until midday Monday 25 February 2019, and they welcome comments on the draft IPS.

The documents and further information about the consultation can be found at www.iow.gov.uk/islandplanningstrategy, and this page is now live. Paper copies of the draft strategy will be available for public viewing in all libraries and the receptions of County Hall and Seaclose Office, and in the interests of sustainability we are not printing off copies of the draft IPS for distribution (although copies can be printed and purchased upon request).

The cost of these are £26 for a black and white version or £130 for the colour version.

Planning Officers will be in 30 High Street every Tuesday (excluding Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) and available for people to drop in and talk about the consultation and the draft IPS.

The document, created in 2018, will replace the ‘Core Strategy’ which has been in place since 2012. 

The strategy sets out policies, proposals and actions which will meet the social, environmental and economic challenges facing the Island in the years ahead. 

Cabinet member for planning and housing, Councillor Barry Abraham, said: “We must make sure the plan is current and relevant to the short and long term future and reflects the needs of people living on the Island, particularly housing and employment – at the same time as looking to preserve the environment and focus on sustainable facilities and options such as multi-use cycle paths, electric car charging points and energy efficiency when decided future planning applications. 

“We have spoken to key stakeholders such as town and parish councils, businesses, health and environment organisations and the building and construction industry for expert and local opinion and this has helped focus the review. Now we want to hear from Islanders, before we present the revised plan for independent examination in 2019.” 

Future planning applications will need to be mindful of the information in the local plan, if they want their application to succeed.

The plan reflects the needs of Island people, particularly housing and draws from a whole range of evidence from bodies such the Office for National Statistics. 

The Island Planning Strategy also allocates sites across the Island which would be suitable for housing and employment developments, without destroying the identity and character of Island towns and villages.