The Chamber Of Commerce’s master plan for the future of Ryde has been revealed to residents for the first time. Chamber Chief Executive Kevin Smith presented the vision for the town’s future at a public meeting at Ryde Methodist Church, along with Ryde Town Council’s Tim Wakeley and Peter Griffiths, IW Council’s Principal Planning Officer for housing. Proposals include pedestrianisation of Union Street and revamping Ryde seafront’s transport interchange. The initial plan is intended to start a conversation about the future of the town, which will result in a plan that can then be picked up by developers and investors.
“It’s about the possibilities of what Ryde could look like in the next 5 to 20 years,” Kevin Smith explains. “The Chamber started this process in 2012 and these are exciting visions for the economic development of the area, creating jobs and employment opportunities. We have to think about the future and a legacy for the young people of the Isle of Wight.”
Tim Wakeley said: “Ryde has a lot of unique features and I believe this vision seeks to capitalise on those, not to compete with them. Any architecture that comes into Ryde must be consistent with the Regency and Georgian history of the town, and amplify that rather than detract from it.”
