New homes hope to ease island housing crisis

The first homes at the Newport site are due to be ready for occupation from the summer

It is the largest single build of "affordable" homes on the Isle of Wight for years - but the 145 new properties under construction in Newport have not been classed as affordable in line with national policy.

The council says this is because the island is a special case and sticking to those guidelines is unworkable.

"What we know on the island is that actually market values in most places massively outstrip what people can afford," said the council's head of planning Ollie Boulter.

Affordability at the Three Oaks site comes because the council has its own definition - a greater reduction of the market value than the 20% set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) definition.

The £30m project lies within the council's broader strategy to meet growing housing demands and will consist of 87 homes available for social rent and 58 for Shared Ownership, aimed at supporting the local community.

At a showcasing event organised by Sovereign Network Group and construction partner Captiva Homes, three of the timber-framed buildings were constructed in a single day.

Ian Delaney, chief executive of Captiva Homes, told the BBC: "We've got 2,500 families awaiting suitable accommodation on the housing register and a growing list of families in temporary accommodation so the need has never been greater."

The government plans to build 1.5 million homes within the next five years - which equates to 1,100 a year on the Isle of Wight.

And while the Newport homes will put pressure on the environment due to the site being greenbelt, it could help ease some of the pressures on jobs.

Ashley Gibbs, managing director of Gibbs Timber Frame, says his company has expanded in the past two months, taking on six more people.

"Captiva homes have given us this opportunity to build houses. Creating skilled jobs which is key to try to give people an opportunity for future work," he said.

The first homes are due to be ready for occupation from the summer.