AN ISLE of Wight councillor has slammed plans to allocate land between Fairlee Road and Staplers Road for the development of 880 new houses.

Cllr Matt Price for Newport North is urging residents to have their voices heard in the ongoing consultation over the Island Planning Strategy.

A pocket of land adjacent to New Fairlee Farm has been proposed as a possible site for housing development, with as many as 880 new homes.

Cllr Price said: "Identifying a site which is locked into two of the busiest roads on the Island, which are forever gridlocked, is pure madness.

"We have two local primary schools with virtually no capacity. We have no local services such as dentists and GP surgeries for these potential 880 families.

"The mistakes of Pan Meadows will run deep into Newport’s future and with that development, which is still barely viable, how can there be any justification for another huge scale housing development which could in reality never be delivered?

"We will be told that infrastructure would be provided within a development of this scale, but some green spaces and footpaths will never be enough.

"Previous developments including the Hawthorn Meadows and Pan Meadows developments had promised community centres, additional education services, doctors and dentist surgeries. Have any of these been delivered? The answer is no.

"I cannot and will not accept that this site is right for this scale of development. Newport and Carisbrooke Parish Council unanimously objected to this site, my residents overwhelmingly object to this site being included as a residential development site.

"I will viciously oppose this site's inclusion in the future land supply allocations and will be seeking the cabinet's support on ensuring this is removed in its entirety from the Island Plan Review."

The deadline for consultation on the Island Plan is February 25. Anyone can take part on the Isle of Wight Council's website.