Plans for housing next to Asda in Newport have been scrapped in favour of retirement ‘park homes’.
Submitted to the Isle of Wight Council, applicant Mr Perez, is hoping to build 12x 3–bed park homes on the corner of St George’s Way and Burnt House Lane.
Revised plans for 7 houses had been approved in September last year after initial permission was sought for 9.
In planning documents provided by agent Geraint John Planning, it was said officers had concerns about the impact on trees and 9 was an overdevelopment of the site.
The application now changes the development from houses to ‘park homes’, single-storey dwellings for those aged 45 and over.
Documents for the new application say the age restriction will be enforced through an occupancy condition as it caters for one of the Isle of Wight Council’s planning policies to support the development of housing for older people.
Mr John said there was a growth in demand for housing for older people, with this site ‘inherently appropriate’ for an elderly residential development. He said:
“Given the aging population of the Island and the established demand for suitable accommodation to house this demographic, retirement park homes are considered acceptable and desired proposed use”.
The greenfield site, on the ‘rural-urban fringe’ of Newport, is currently vacant, apart from some outbuildings which used to be for equestrian use. A paddock at the site will be retained.
To ‘enhance the visual screening’ of the retail developments – at the moment Asda and in the coming years the St George’s Retail Park – native shrubs will be planted along the boundary with the supermarket.
Officers’ concerns about the impact on the protected trees on site have been addressed by providing a ‘significant buffer’ between the perimeter trees and the homes.
To view the plans, 21/01186/FUL, you can access the council’s planning register. Comments will be accepted until 23rd July.
