One Island - The Isle of Wight Council's Improvement Plan

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Campaign: Low cost homes for Island people

Potential Locations: Brading, Freshwater, Nettlestone, Ryde, Sandown, East Cowes, Newport, Cowes and Shanklin areas

Background and Purpose

The overall aim of the project is to ensure that affordable housing is increased on the Island and to ensure that more people have their housing needs and aspirations met through a variety of market choices...
As well as carrying out surveys & assessments, the project also involves working very closely with our key partners, including, the community, housing associations, developers and housing support providers.

It is intended that the project will deliver:

Increased provision of affordable housing
Increased retention of economically active young people on the Island
Increased choice in the housing market
Less overcrowding,

Progress Report

Excellent progress has been made with the project. The Housing Market Assessment study (which provides local authorities and their partners with a framework for better understanding of how housing markets operate) has been commissioned with detailed survey work undertaken. The next step is to present the results to the Council in preparation for publication.
An updated Island wide housing needs survey has been completed to assist in the production of a revised Housing Strategy for the Island. The Strategy is scheduled to be given final approval by the Council in September 07.
Additionally, the need to deliver more low cost homes to buy on the Island has been identified and the parts of the Strategy dealing with home ownership options are being reviewed.

Activities for Next Period

Final amendments to the Strategy are currently being worked on and these include a careful examination of the role that low cost home ownership options have to play in the Island’s housing market as well as responding to the publication of the Government's anticipated Housing Paper.
Once the new Housing Strategy has been finalised and agreed by Full Council, the new initiatives contained in the strategy will assist in the development of the Island Plan. The Island Plan is expected to be completed in 2009.