CONTINUING his campaign against the draft Island Planning Strategy, MP Bob Seely will meet with residents in Rookley tomorrow (Friday 13) to discuss housing plans for the area.

The meeting, at Rookley Village Hall at 6pm, is the latest in a series of meetings he is holding to raise awareness of the 9,600 houses due to be built across the Island in the next 15 years.

More than 6,300 people have now signed or taken part in the MP’s Island Plan survey or petition.

Mr Seely’s last public Island Plan meeting was in East Cowes on Saturday, where the controversial Crossways development was discussed.

Mr Seely said: “East Cowes residents are united in opposing the Crossways development. The infrastructure just isn’t there to support such a high volume of housing.

“I thank local councillor, Stephen Hendry, for leading the campaign in East Cowes and I will continue to support him wherever I can.”

Earlier this week IW Council leader, Dave Stewart, offered his support to the MP’s campaign to have the housing targets — set by Government — reduced.

Mr Seely said: “I’m pleased to hear the IW Council wants to work with me to plead the Island’s case that we cannot support the volume of housing the Government is proposing.

“We will ask that the Island is considered as an exceptional case and make every attempt to have our housing target reduced.

“I welcome invitations from other Island towns and villages wishing to discuss the proposals in their area and I urge everyone to sign my petition and write to their local councillor and make as much noise about the issue as possible.”

The survey and petition against the housing targets can be found at islandvision.uk/Islandplan/

Mr Seely is also due to meet with the IW Association of Local Councils in October to discuss the issue.

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