The Isle of Wight Council has been awarded £150,000 to help bring forward a prime brownfield site for development.

The windfall will be used to demolish the former police station in Fairlee Road, Newport, and prepare the council-owned site so that it is ready for the building of up to ten new homes.

The funding comes from the government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund supports councils in unlocking small and medium sites that have been previously developed and where viability issues due to abnormal costs, such as site levelling, demolition, and groundworks, are likely to prevent their future development.  

Councillor Ian Stephens, deputy leader and Cabinet member for housing and finance, said: “We are delighted to have secured funding from the Brownfield Land Release Fund.

“This will enable us to demolish a disused building, in a prime location close to the town centre. The cleared site will speed up the delivery time for much needed new homes.”

Council leader, Councillor Phil Jordan, added: “This scheme, using government funding, is part of a wider council project to deliver homes for residents of the Isle of Wight.

“In clearing this site in preparation for housing, we are enabling another development to be built on and provide the homes we desperately need.

“This is the third site we have obtained government funding for and along with other sites we are bringing forward for provision, are positively adding to the housing availability numbers on this Island at a time when demand is outstripping supply.”

Contact Information

Martin Neville
Isle of Wight
martin.neville@iow.gov.uk