BOSSES at the Isle of Wight Council have won £50,000 of government funds to help the authority make better use of publicly owned land assets — which could include the redevelopment of the former Camp Hill prison.
The £50,000 will be used to draw-up a bid to secure up to £500,000 from the government’s One Public Estate Programme, which is designed to help public sector organisations make better use of their land.
The Isle of Wight bid will partially focus on the development and regeneration of the former Camp Hill prison site, which belongs to the Ministry of Justice, and adjacent land.
The Isle of Wight County Press revealed in August that calls by the council for the empty Camp Hill site to be handed over to the authority, to allow it to be redeveloped to boost the Island economy.
The One Public Estate Programme helps public organisations generate income as well as create new jobs and homes.
The council is leading the bid, and working closely with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which owns several acres of land on the Island.
The detailed bid, to be developed over the next month, will also focus on two new health and community hubs linked to the My Life a Full Life care model.
That programme is a joint initiative from the Isle of Wight Council, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, the Island’s CCG and One Wight Health, a GP organisation.
If further funding is secured, full feasibility studies will be drawn up.
Cllr Ian Stephens, the council’s executive member for regeneration, economic sustainability and development, said: "This is great news and the offer of funding and government support provide real impetus to both making more efficient use of our public land and buildings as well as driving forward income generation, economic growth and our regeneration ambitions, a key priority for the council."
Karen Baker, chief executive of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust added: "The recently published Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) will see a shift of care from hospitals into the community and individual’s homes. Increased working with My Life a Full Life partners will help us to achieve the reduction in the public sector estate and release savings needed to fund care."

Reporter: davidn@iwcpmail.co.uk