Councillors Vote To Press Ahead With Town Centre Heritage Guidance

‘Protecting the identity’ of the Isle of Wight’s ‘historic high streets’ is the goal of new guidance, taken forward by councillors.

The economy, regeneration, transport and infrastructure committee (ERTIC) agreed to publish the revised Commercial Frontages Design Guide for public consultation at its meeting last Thursday (July 10).

County Hall adopted the Historic England funded Newport and Ryde Commercial Frontages Design Guide in 2022 which officers say ‘helped to secure better outcomes within the two town centres’.

The revised, draft guidance seeks to expand the Supplementary Planning Document’s (SPD) geographical scope to encompass all ‘designated town centres and conservation areas across the Island’.

SPDs provide extra detail to policies within the Island’s local plan and can be used to ‘provide further guidance for development on specific sites or on particular issues, such as design’, according to the council.

They can also be a ‘material consideration in planning decisions’.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet Nick Stuart described the revised guidance as an “excellent idea” but added that the Island’s local councils should be made aware of it “immediately”.

Councillors Paul Fuller (independent), Chris Quirk (Conservative) and Chris Jarman (Empowering Islanders) also emphasised the importance of town and parish council involvement.

Ollie Boulter, strategic manager for planning and infrastructure delivery at Isle of Wight Council, said he would be writing to the councils to “notify them of the consultation” and “invite comments through that process”.

The draft guidance says:

“This document aims to protect the identity of our historic high streets.

"Please use this guide to celebrate our local heritage and encourage use of our town centres for many years to come.

“The Design Guide was produced as part of the Newport and Ryde Heritage Action Zones to support regeneration of both town centres but written with the intention to be relevant to all Island conservation areas and designated town centre boundaries.

“This user-friendly document is intended to promote positive change across the Island. It is based on Ryde and Newport’s history but also looks to the future.

“Written to be accessible for everyone but also useful to specialists, it includes a building-led process to help non-specialists research their building and understand how to restore it. It also includes technical guidance for designers and craftspeople.”

If the council receives comments objecting to the guidance during the public consultation, a further report will be brought before ERTIC detailing the comments and ‘any changes proposed by officers’, an approved officer recommendation says.

ERTIC also decided to delegate authority on whether to adopt the SPD to the strategic manager for planning and infrastructure delivery, if no objecting comments are received.

In addition, the committee opted to give the officer authority to make ‘final editorial and/or presentational changes to the draft SPD’.