Isle of Wight, call to move faster with MMC

It comes after residents expressed serious concerns about how, six months on from throwing its weight behind modular, re-locatable houses, there appears to have been no movement from the local authority.

Yesterday, the council said it was still actively working with several providers who originally expressed an interest, and a decision is expected this summer.

To this, MP Bob Seely said: “The council needs to move faster. We are already in the summer and we don’t just need a decision — we need solutions being implemented now.

“It is not right that Island families are having to be provided with temporary housing on the mainland.

“The Isle of Wight Council, with its responsibility for housing and homelessness, should be pro-actively pursuing all options for expanding the availability of suitable housing provision here on the Island.

“In this regard, I welcome the announcement made by the local authority earlier this year to utilise modular, re-locatable homes to provide housing for the families most in need — as well as the significant allocation of funds in the budget for 2022/23 for taking this forward.

“As the County Press reported this week, it is disappointing that progress has not been made on this front.

“I understand there is an Island business — as Cllr Suzie Ellis has highlighted — that has submitted an expression of interest to the council six months ago and has heard nothing back.