Conservative MP candidate Joe Robertson has welcomed a regeneration plan for Sandown, Shanklin and Lake. Led by the three Bay councils, the Place Plan provides a coherent strategy for the future development and regeneration of the whole Bay area. It seeks to improve chances of success when applying for grants and make the whole area more attractive for business investment too.
Upon attending the public launch of the Place Plan at the Broadway Centre, Joe said, “I welcome and acknowledge the hard work that the Bay Councils have put into producing this comprehensive Plan. Many opportunities to bid for public money are only available to larger towns but if neighbouring settlements come together with a plan like this they can qualify for funding that would otherwise be unavailable. I have been working with local Councillors like Ian Ward and Chris Quirk to encourage the Isle of Wight Council to do more about the derelict hotels in Sandown and restore the Osborne steps footpath access to the beach at Shanklin.”
Councillor Chris Quirk, former Mayor of Shanklin and one of the lead members on the Bay Place Plan Committee, said, “Joe has always been a friend of the Bay and taken a keen interest in its future. I welcomed his support and advice in the background while we were developing this Plan. I know he has been talking to local businesses and putting pressure on the Isle of Wight Council to progress an ambitious plan for the land at Yaverland which will benefit the wider area.”
