The Isle of Wight Council have revealed their ambitious plans to expand Ryde’s Nicholson Road to incorporate a new GP surgery for the town, as well as a gym, community hall, offices and a number of industrial units. Nicholson Road is already a well-established hub for business, but the Council want to expand on this by extending the industrial estate into the adjoining field between Great Preston Road, Smallbrook Lane and the railway line. Plans are afoot to create a community focused workplace incorporating civic services and access to shared green space. It is hoped this will enable businesses to thrive through meaningful interaction with the local community. A parkland boulevard will be at the centre of the development providing car parking between pockets of greenery and trees. Off of this will be a community hub with a GP surgery, pharmacy, cafe, gymnasium, community hall and a mixture of retail and office units, as well as a small number of residential flats. Up to 1,000 new homes could be built in the immediate area, if approved planning applications are executed. In addition, there will be 18 industrial units of varying sizes catering for businesses looking to acquire 1,000sqft up to 90,000sqft. There are also plans to have 7 office buildings at the bottom of the site. A wetland meadow and hedgerow paths will keep the rural feel to the area alive, with paths connecting to Swanmore Meadows and the recently-approved Rosemary Vineyard housing development. Nicholson Road itself would be extended to run straight through from Great Preston Road to Smallbrook Lane, near to the railway bridge. The road currently ends at Royal Mail’s sorting depot. The Isle of Wight Council say they have got the capital funding for the project and hope to start work on the infrastructure network by this time next year. A planning application is expected to be submitted in the early part of 2019.