From Cllr Michael Lilley, Ryde:

In September 2018, it will be three years since outline planning permission was granted for the newest largest housing development on the Isle of Wight.

This anniversary coincides with the consultation by the Boundary Commission of their proposal for new IW Council wards, which has to take into account planning permission for new housing.

The IW Council has proposed to the Boundary Commission for a new Ryde East Ward restructure (which residents and I vigorously oppose), made up of Elmfield and Pennyfeathers.

The irony is no full planning application has been put forward for the proposed 900-plus houses, but voting provision has to be planned for.

The only signs of building activity in the last three years has been the purchase of two houses at the Westridge Junction/Marlborough and Brading roads, which are now overgrown and derelict.

These were purchased to make way for a new junction and the moving of the garage.

There was a planning application in 2018 for the garage to be moved and rebuilt up the road, but this was refused, as there were no plans to start the development with building road infrastructure for the proposed estate and building a new Westridge junction.

It has since gone all quiet on the Western — or correctly Eastern Ryde — front.

IW Council has coincidently been active in carrying out a review of the Island Plan, which enabled the Pennyfeathers idea to blossom.

It is also carrying out a new housing needs assessment and is developing a new affordable and social housing strategy.

The indications are smaller housing schemes are the preferred option in the future.

It can be surmised if Pennyfeathers had applied in September 2018, it would be refused under new thinking.

In the meantime, Ryde East community and the residents closest to the site just oversee a stretch of green pinkish elephant land and derelict houses, which will soon have ghost voting rights. I will endeavour to raise questions and get living and existing Ryde East voters heard.