By Press Release
Following this month’s cabinet reshuffle, my responsibilities continue to oversee planning and enforcement, but now also include coastal protection and flooding. As well as this, I am the cabinet member responsible for parish council liaison. In the last two years, I want to say a big thank you to residents for their queries, questions and suggestions, the support of the planning team, and the outgoing chairman of the Planning Committee, Cllr John Medland.
Planning Enforcement
Cabinet recently adopted an updated Planning Enforcement Strategy. Under the strategy the enforcement team will continue to investigate every alleged breach across the Island and then assess and prioritise harm.
The new strategy includes an opportunity for local town, parish and community councils to expand the service beyond the IW Council’s core function. This has been piloted with Newport & Carisbrooke Community Council where properties in their high streets are being tidied up. A number of enforcement notices have been served so far this year with more in the pipeline.
Following feedback, I’ve been mindful of raising residents’ awareness of the work of the enforcement team, and look forward to information being shared more widely in the community.
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)
In the coming weeks, the IW Council will be consulting on this document. The SCI explains how the council will involve local communities, businesses and other stakeholders when preparing policies and determining planning applications.
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD)
We recently adopted the Newport and Ryde Shopfront Design Guide as an SPD. Cabinet is also soon to consider local cycling and walking infrastructure plans for Ryde and Newport, with others (including for Cowes) due to be consulted on soon. We will also shortly be consulting on Housing Affordability and Sustainable Drainage Systems SPDs, which are two very relevant issues to many.
Island Planning Strategy (IPS)
The progress of the IPS has been delayed due to proposed changes to national planning policies and transitional arrangements, and I am hopeful for a positive response from government. This particularly applies to possible changes to the way in which the Island’s housing numbers could be calculated. Once we know more cabinet can feedback to the full council on how it wants to proceed.