Tag: Isle of Wight

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Newport Harbour Masterplan

A brand-new foot and cycle bridge across the Medina is one of the features of the Newport Harbour Masterplan.

After two years of consultation the Isle of Wight Council has put forward the latest plans to redevelop the harbour and quay area in the heart of the Island’s historic county town.

An exhibition outlining the proposals will be based at 30 High Street, Newport, throughout the summer, with opportunities to talk to the masterplanning team:

  • Monday 15th July 2019 11am to 5.30pm
  • Tuesday 16th July 2019 2pm-8pm
  • Wednesday 17th July 2019 11am to 5pm

The exhibition continues Tuesday to Friday 10am – 4pm, from July 18th until August 30th, 2019 as well as touring various locations across the Island – keep an eye on social media for details. Or visit the consultation website at any time to have your say.

Options and concepts are displayed in this simulation of what some of the developments could look like.

Options under consideration include restaurants, housing, commercial space, new car parking, higher education resources, a rebuild of the existing Riverside Centre, a new hotel and a cultural venue.

Options for Newport Harbour



The project is intended to increase connectivity to the existing town centre, attract visitors, and ensure the future of the harbour by providing for maintenance and investment in harbour facilities.

The new proposals are mostly on the eastern side of the estuary, keeping the Medina itself available for boats and leaving more commercial functions on the west, including the existing marine and boating activity.
The plan aims to keep and reuse buildings where possible, to help conserve and enhance the historic and marine heritage of Newport Quay.

Plans have been drawn up in the light of suggestions from harbour users, residents and businesses, and as a result the new proposals include a smaller residential area as a gateway to the green space, the chance to create places where people can both live and work, and a potential new focus on creative industries.

The proposed lifting bridge is for pedestrians and cyclists, linking Seaclose Park with destinations such as the Isle of Wight College and St Mary’s Hospital, as well as the many shops and businesses at Dodnor.
This would be in addition to any possible future vehicle bridge, which is not included in this plan.

The proposals could be adopted as planning policy, which will then be the framework for development over the next 20-25 years with the first projects on the ground in the next two or three years.

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Two years of regeneration

It’s been two years since the Council made the brave decision to establish a regeneration team. It was daunting for me; coming in to help create a new department and kick start a programme that was tasked with plugging the big black (or is that red?) money hole. So I am indulging in a bit of a reflection on where we have gotten to thus far.

For me, the biggest change has been the rising enthusiasm both locally and from future investors and partners about the Island. The number of bids we got for taking forward the Newport Harbour masterplan was an indication that the wider development world is interested in our little Island. As well as this house prices in Ryde over the past year have seen highest rise in the country! Add to this the expansion of MHI Vestas with hundreds of new jobs; the investment going in to some of our hotels (the Priory Bay as an example); and the success of smaller businesses like Wyatt & Jack and Russell Ince’s Christmas Imaginarium and you start to see that the things are definitely shifting.

Continue reading “Two years of regeneration”