‘Iconic’ Ventnor Winter Gardens Given Asset Of Community Value Status

Editor5807, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

An Isle of Wight councillor has said he hopes Ventnor’s Winter Gardens returns soon to the “facility it once was” in response to it being accepted as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).

Cllr Ed Blake, the representative for Ventnor and St Lawrence, heralded the designation of the “iconic building” which he said was “once a focal point for much of the town’s cultural, recreational and sporting pastimes”.

The Conservative group leader at County Hall previously applied to nominate the dilapidated Art Deco style building as an ACV, gaining the backing of Ventnor Town Council.

He told the press:

“I’m really pleased that the ACV application has been accepted. While the designation does not relieve the current owners of the building, it does mean that should they wish to sell the building they have to offer to the community first.

“This does restrict the owner’s options. Also, the designation will be considered should any planning applications be made in relation to the building.

“It is one of the few indoor spaces that can hold large amounts of people and its absence from use continues to hurt the area.”

At a public meeting on September 1, Ventnor residents heard that a “significant number” of the 19 remedial actions issued by the Isle of Wight Council to restore Ventnor Winter Gardens are still outstanding.

Natasha Dix, County Hall’s service director for waste, environment and planning, told them “further work” was needed to bring it up to an “acceptable standard”.

In April, the council embarked upon a pre-Section 215 process with local businessman Kevin Sussmilch, of The Hambrough Group, which owns the venue.

It identified required improvements such as re-rendering, filling in cracks, painting and repairing the roof.

Ms Dix said the council was not “yet” looking at escalating the issue into a “formal” Section 215 notice but would quickly reconsider this decision if “anything slows down or stops”.