ISLE of Wight MP, Bob Seely, has taken steps to protect the Island’s green fields from development by asking the Government for further landscape protections.

Currently, around half the Island is covered by the existing Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) designation but Mr Seely said he wants to see more land protected. 

This is part of a wider strategy on environmentally friendly development of the Island, both in housing or growing ‘green’ industries such as wind and tidal energy.

He said: “I want the Government to consider three options: an extension of the existing AONB status to cover more of the Island, full national park status, or a new designation - an ‘Island Park’ - which would sit somewhere between those two.

“The Prime Minister has set out his plans to designate and protect an additional 4,000 sq km of land across the country by 2030. I want the Island to be included in that. 

“Currently we have five parcels of land designated as AONB: most areas have one large continuous designation. I want us to get away from the field by field approach to designations and protect a much larger area of land.

“It is clear that to push this agenda will require the full support of the local authority so I will be talking to the Isle of Wight Council to discuss how we can move forward.”

AONB status gives land greater protection than ‘normal’ planning rules and prevents large-scale green field planning, which Mr Seely has pledged to oppose.