A PUBLIC meeting to discuss controversial plans for 66 homes in Northwood will take place on Saturday (October 20).

A planning application has been submitted to the Isle of Wight Council for the new homes, plus associated roads, parking and open spaces, accessed from Newport Road.

Applicant Peter Harding, of Harding Holdings, will meet with residents at 4pm at Northwood Village Hall to explain the proposals and answer questions.

Concerns have been raised by residents about the plans. More than one hundred comments have been made online, including one by Northwood Parish Council.

The parish council said the plans were ‘premature’ and should be refused by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee.

The development would consist of two, three and four bedroom houses and bungalows, which would be built in three phases.

Amanda Grabham, of Horseshoe Close, Cowes, commented: “It is virtually impossible to get a doctor’s appointment at Cowes Health Centre already due to the lack of doctors and the amount of residents needing to be seen.

“Sixty-six more families added to the already overstretched service will be a massive negative effect and cost lives due to people not being treated when they need to be.”

At the end of July, Cowes Medical Centre closed its books to NHS dental patients, forcing hundreds of patients to transfer to Bembridge dental practice or the Mall in Newport.