Possible new building land in Northwood
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, 15th September 2011, 14:05
I have just read this on the www.gurnardpc.com site – it is about new land being available to build on. I used the council link and it also shows Northwood’s green belt bits that are being offered by land owners!
It sounds a bit scary. This is part of the letter – the rest is on the www.gurnardpc.com site:
“… You also gave some information reference the IW Council Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment consultations which start on April 15th 2011. I have started this new Forum Topic as I feel it’s very important that villagers are aware of this big new threat to our village. I have just checked the IW Council web. for the information you spoke of and for those that want to click on:
http://www.iwight.com/living_here/planning/images/Gurnard.pdf
It clearly shows what many of us thought would happen and that is the owners in our village of green-field sites are making them available for housing under the recent Government’s housing proposals.
Tuttons Hill, Baring Road, Lower Church Road and Place Road farm fields and the chunk of land behind the Community Hall down to the Jordan valley, are all seen as meeting the requirements set by the Government criteria and are if I understand this correctly unless our Local PC puts up local arguments why they should not be developed later at planning meetings, they could in the next few years be housing estates.
Come on Gurnard PC we know you read this, have conviction and tell me my fears are wrong.”
15 Responses to “Possible new building land in Northwood”
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Parish Council
Please inform everyone you know that the forum is back!
It’s been a few weeks now and the loss of this forum has made it harder for those that live here and care for our village to know what’s going on, any news?
So there we have it, clear concise brief about the Government inspired initiative…Localism (Big Society)
This issue must be fully debated locally, and questioned raised where residents feel there is need to explain the finer points of the wording of policies that will have lasting effects on all our lives.
The IOW Ward Councillor has intimated he will set up a Public Meeting to air this important issue.
All those who can, including Parish Councillors from both Northwood and Gurnard should make the effort to be there, lastly but most importantly as many Residents as possible should also make time for this debate.
In my humble opinion, this issue is too important to all our lives, to shrug shoulders and think some one else will do all the work required. Half a dozen, sited forlornly around the Hall, just simply will not do!
Watch for Notices in C/P or Northwood News or posted on the Notice Board outside Horseshoe Public House. Over to YOU Cllr Maz!!
Best Wishes
G R Cotterill Northwood
Residents must make their views known by 27th May. This can be done either directly to the I.W.Council, to me as I.W.Councillor for Northwood or to Northwood Parish Council either via any of the eight Parish Councillors or to Parish Clerk barbara.herbert@sky.com or to all four choices!
I have reported on this process via the Parish Council and in previous reports from the earlier stages. This is a central government driven process from the days of the Labour government (no political point here, just an historic fact).
It is part of the planning for the future programe which is necessary if we are to plan for homes to meet future need, eg expanding population, economic growth, local affordable homes for those seeking to be first time buyers with limited capital or income etc.
So suitable sites have to be found. The key word is of course suitable and that is where the cases have to be made if any of these sites are to be excluded from the process.
Any owner of these sites could apply for planning permission now and all the usual pros and cons will kick in. So where there are strong cases against owners will probably face an uphill fight. If they wait until these sites are confirmed by the process, ie in 2013, then whilst they will still face the planning process, they will then do so from a real position of strength.
That is why it is important that residents do take the time to check the sites proposed and formulate well thought out objections.
I will be holding a public briefing at the W.I. Hall – date and times to be confirmed at which I expect to have Planners attend to explain the process and deal with questions.
In the meantime, I hope my Northwood News report(being printed tonight) and about to be posted on this website as usual, will be helpful in this regard. All the links are given.
Best wishes, Roger Maz.
PS Why is it that apart from myself and Graham C. everyone else chooses to remain anonymous?
You are probably correct in saying most residents in Gurnard and Northwood were unaware of the “consultation taking place” but even more of a concern is our elected Councillors were aware and they didn’t appear to say much then and only have a few weeks left to represent the village view.
With regard to the thread posted 16th April 2011 11:44:30.
You are correct there is not much time for residents to put their submissions to the IOW Council.
Interesting quote from the Proposed Submission Core Strategy April 2011…
“Previous engagement”
“Early engagement has been undertaken through the previous rounds of consultation undertaken whilst developing this strategy and a targeted stakeholder consultation in May 2010. Regulation 25 consultation was undertaken for a six week period in October 2010. All of these stages have included wide involvement from key stakeholders and the general public”.
I am of the view, and here I may be corrected, how many of the residents of Northwood / Gurnard knew of this ‘consultation’ taking place?
Looking at the On-line document regarding this Core Submission by the IOW Council, the area marked for ‘Comments’ shows a remarkable lack of submissions by the General Public.
So my best guess is that the Core Policies will be actioned, and parcels of land made available by ‘owners’ for development, in simple terms a done deal!
Residents should read the submissions by the IOW Council in their Core Policies Statement and look at the numbers of Houses talked of as required in the Medina Valley…1268…interestingly the area’s that have most land available and considered achievable are in Northwood / Gurnard.
Big Society…Localism…Decentralisation… AAP’s
DPD’s…Core Strategies…Key Policies..
Changes to Local Planning System…the use of Land Auctions…etc.etc.
All these terms and abbreviations used by public employee’s and councillors to form a screen of ‘smoking mirrors’
I fear the whole ‘New Society’ has gone so far it is too late to stop the roller-coaster.
Best Wishes
G R Cotterill. Northwood
Thank you for this information Mr Cotterill I will need to check out these links. I am still not sure what the period for representation is actually about, is it the time our elected representatives have to raise our concerns, if so a Public meeting in the next few weeks would be an ideal time to test the water. If your dates are correct and I have no reason to doubt you, we don’t have much time before Friday 24th May.
Fully agree with the thread posted 16th April 03:20:42
The writer clearly has his/her finger on the way local politics work. The statement about the decisions in the public domain is true to a point?
I think I can work myself around online material and it took me some time to find and open doc’s that contained transparent information about sites where the ‘owner’ has indicated they are prepared to offer their land parcel for development. Scrolling down the document give clear indication whether the council planners have decided to agree that the land parcel can be Developed( usually where there is a clear access to the site, and major utilities are within connecting distance)
There is a Box called ‘Deliverable’ this is for the planner to indicate if they feel a development can be achieved.
All of this decision making as far as I can ascertain was not put into any public forum for debate?
Within the Northwood / Gurnard area there are several large packets of land where ‘Owners’ have made offers to develop the site. It is notable that at least two of the largest sites have ‘Comments attached’ to the documentation by planners. Which indicated because of the location any developer must build housing of a high standard.
If the Coalition Government plans to devolve more power down to local councils is actioned, then this I feel could end being the Governments way to compel us all to participate in the ‘Big Society’?
Readers can find answers to many questions can be found here…..
ISLAND PLAN REGULATION 27 PROPOSED SUBMISSION CORE STRATEGY – PERIOD FOR
REPRESENTATION
http://iow-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/cs/submission/cs_sub
*(Copy & Paste into Browser)
Another link below shows what the Government are trying to achieve with their ‘localism’ plans.
http://iow-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/cs/submission/cs_sub?pointId=1294658759597#section-1294658759597
There is real danger the resultant effect of the latest Government proposals would make the Local Planning Process even more opaque than at present.
Residents of both Northwood / Gurnard must question their councillors and even the IOW MP on this issue, if it is left too long it will too late.
Ask them about Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)
An assessment of land availability for housing which informs the Island Plan. It is a requirement of Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing.
Ask your Parish Councillors whether they have a Village Design Statement(VDS) This is a local policy document that acts as a Supplementary Planning Advice for Planners.
NB:
The period for representation will run from Friday 15th April until 4.30pm on Friday 27th May 2011.
Best Wishes
G R Cotterill. Northwood
Yes Roger it was done in the “public domain” but very few people other than those keen to obtain big money for green field sites and developers wishing to make huge profit from potential developments were really aware of the process.
I also think its worth mentioning these proposed housing developments are not just affordable housing estates for the locals as some would believe, they are large housing estates with properties that will need large mortgages way out of the reach of most of our children.
In the last few days the sites that have passed the tests by getting the required marks are out in the public domain and now the battle starts, landowners and developers will be making representations why it should be the site they want to develop gets planning first.
You say we have more sites than needed at the moment, true, but all that means is those that put up the best opposition why they don’t want a “Pan Meadows” next to them can only hope that they are better at putting the case than the other Councils that are saying the same. If I am wrong in assuming that other Town and Parish Councils will not be opposing the destruction of the Green Fields mostly for housing of people keen to move to the Island then please point me towards them as I would like to know who they are.
I fully understand it’s up to us the electorate to make sure that this development only takes place where we feel it’s required and if you are still our council member at the time I am sure you and also our Parish council, due to the proposed planning changes, will get strong opposition against these housing estates.
My question to you Roger and any of the Parish Council members is, when is the time for us to make you aware of our concerns, is the consultation under way now?
This is a continuing part of the Island Core Planning Strategy. Landowners were asked to submit land for housing development for our growing population up to 2027.
This is the result of those submissions. It was all done in the public domain over the past year plus.
These have been evaluated and in Northwood’s case several sites have been identified as deliverable, ie within the next five years. However, there is far too much capacity in the sites identified – on the face of it up to 4,000 homes, when the entire capacity over the next five years for the whole of the Medina Valley area is less than 2,000.
As usual, any application for development will be subject to the full planning process and there are several identified, ie in or at the back of Wyatt’s Lane which in my opinion are absolutely not desirable or indeed would not adhere to sound planning principles for rural areas. So I would be opposing any such applications most vigorously.
Another large site is either side of Chawton lane which has already been turned down for a golf course on several grounds, all of which in my opinion still pertain.
I am leading on this in my May Northwood News Report delivered in about two weeks time.
Residents can consult on this through iwight.com or on the other links referred to earlier.
Best wishes, Cllr. Roger Mazillius
It seems that once again we are being hoodwinked.
Scout hut land:
http://www.iwight.com/living_here/planning/images/C163.pdf
“Current site use(s):
Current site use is open fields and woodland”
“Is the site Previously Developed Land?
No”
I thought there was a scout hut there!!!
More 2nd Homes?
Very interesting! this link will get the whole of Northwood Parish thats been offered.
http://www.iwight.com/living_here/planning/images/Northwood.pdf
worried.
Looks fairly dire for Northwood:
http://www.iwight.com/living_here/planning/images/Northwood.pdf
Huge areas between Newport road and the river, the scout hut land and large strips behind Wyatts Lane.
Infrastructure? Employment? …