New Homes, McDonald’s And Burger King Among Landmark Planning Decisions Shaping The Island

A huge 473-home development, a ‘multi-million-pound’ McDonald’s Drive Thru and conversion plans for a former Isle of Wight nightclub.

These are some of 2025’s most high-profile planning proposals approved by Isle of Wight Council officers or councillors after debates at County Hall.

On April 23, planners gave the go ahead to a new branch of Burger King in the car park of Brading Road’s Tesco Extra, near Ryde.

Planning consultancy Firstplan said the new leisure offering would generate 35 local job opportunities and in a decision report on proposal 25/00197/FUL, the council cited ‘inward investment into the Ryde area’.

Then after 124 supporting letters from members of the public, councillors approved another application (25/00587/FUL) from a rival fast-food giant – a McDonald’s off Newport Road in Lake, going against a planners’ refusal recommendation.

Before the July 8 vote, Ollie Boulter, strategic manager for planning and infrastructure delivery, said:

“The committee has given greater weight to the economic regeneration of the Bay and the economic benefits to the local area in the balancing of the application.

“Councillors consider that the concerns regarding archaeology can satisfactorily be addressed through conditions and the biodiversity net gain uplift can be secured through a legal agreement.”

On September 15, County Hall accepted Mr and Mrs Biles’ outline application for up to 163 homes and commercial development on land south of Somerton Industrial Park next to Newport Road in Cowes.

Its decision report for application 22/01720/OUT said:

“The development would result in moderate economic benefits, with moderately adverse environmental impacts that would be outweighed by the significant social benefits brought through the delivery of housing, including a policy compliant level of affordable housing, and employment within a sustainable location.”

A change of use of the former Fever and Boutique nightclub at the Coppins Bridge Retail and Leisure Park was granted consent on October 7.

Otium Properties’ proposal for a new commercial, business and service use, including the sale of food, sought to make the site ‘more marketable’ to tenants, amid a lack of demand for a night-time venue.

The decision report on application 25/00950/FUL said:

“This proposal would utilise and re-use a vacant unit, therefore attracting greater footfall to the site to the benefit of the other businesses in the area and the viability and vitality of these.”

Captiva Homes’ revised bid for a 473-home estate at West Acre Park, including commercial space, a doctor’s surgery and a cafe, was backed by seven councillors at the planning committee’s September 30 meeting.

The landmark decision came after County Hall’s previous permission for the development in August 2023 led to Elmfield residents group, Greenfields, taking the local authority to court.

The case ultimately reached the Court of Appeal and resulted in the quashing of the 2023 permission due to the council failing to publish a Section 106 planning obligation before the consent.

A debate at the September 30 meeting saw divisions over affordable housing surface, with the Empowering Islanders’ Peter Spink criticising a lack of social rented homes.

But although agreeing with the need for more social housing, Independent Socialist Geoff Brodie told the chamber the development would provide “118 rented affordable homes” in a speech supporting application 20/01061/FUL.