Welcome to the Parish Council Website
About Niton and Whitwell
Niton and Whitwell are vibrant villages on the southern tip of the Isle of Wight, little more than a mile apart and surrounded by stunning landscape and coastline. At the last census, in 2011, the population of Niton was 1,162, and of Whitwell 619.
Niton has a range of shops, a GPs’ surgery, a library, a recreation ground, a football club and a primary school. Each village has a Parish Church and a village hall, while Whitwell also has a petrol station. Niton also has a Baptist Church and a Methodist Church.
Parts of the Undercliff are historically unstable, and there have been numerous landslides. The latest, in early 2014, severed the Niton-St Lawrence road.
Being on the coast, the Coastal Path runs along the upper cliff from St Lawrence to Niton. The path then crosses the road at Barrack Shute, Niton, and rejoins the cliff top path agin and runs all the way to Blackgang.
The area possess a number of beaches and coves. Castlehaven is a small cove east of St Catherines Lighthouse and is popular with cold water swimmers as well as a base for fishing boats and sailing dinghies. Tidal currents can be strong here so please take care. Other beaches are Watershoot Bay, just west of St Catherines Lighthouse. And further west is Blackgang Beach, a spectacular stretch of golden shingle. Recommended for competent swimmers only due to the steep shelf and strong undercurrent of withdrawing waves. It is also often frequented by naturists.
The Parish Council
The Parish Council has 10 members – six for Niton Ward and four for Whitwell Ward.
Our current aims include:
• Prioritising the needs of Young People in the Parish
• Supporting Local Transport Services where needs are identified
• Maintaining safe and accessible routes between and around Niton and Whitwell.
• Representing Local Views on Planning Policy and its implementation, whilst actively working to
ensure these representations are given more consideration as part of the planning process and
subsequent decision making
