PO31 7FY Isle of Wight
Live postcode, introduced August 2004. Ward: Cowes Medina. Region: South East.
Streets
- The Sidings, Cowes: 11 addresses
- The Sidings, Cowes: 1 address
House prices and rents in Isle of Wight
A typical home in Isle of Wight cost £245,670 in August 2026, 1.1% less than a year before. That is 7% more than five years earlier and 33% more than ten years earlier.
| Home | Typical price, Aug 2026 |
|---|---|
| Detached | £390,434 |
| Semi-detached | £274,146 |
| Terraced | £211,057 |
| Flat or maisonette | £136,524 |
| Bought by a first-time buyer | £200,374 |
Private renters in Isle of Wight paid £953 a month on average in September 2026, 6.8% more than a year before. That is 34% more than five years earlier.
| Home | Average rent a month, Sep 2026 |
|---|---|
| One bedroom | £664 |
| Two bedrooms | £874 |
| Three bedrooms | £1,092 |
| Four or more bedrooms | £1,519 |
Council tax
What each band costs in Isle of Wight in 2026-27: Band D £2,626 a year on average, including the police, fire and any county and parish charges.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,751 | £2,042 | £2,334 | £2,626 | £3,209 | £3,793 | £4,376 | £5,252 |
Homes by band in the neighbourhood around this postcode: most are in band B (60% of about 800 homes).
Planning and heritage
- Conservation area: no postcode centre in this postcode is in one.
- Listed buildings within 100 m of this postcode: none.
- Article 4 direction (removing permitted development rights): none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Tree preservation orders: none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Green belt: no.
Brownfield land registered for housing within 1 km (0.6 miles)
- Medina Yard, Cowes, permissioned (200 m)
- Parklands Centre Park Road, Cowes, not permissioned (680 m (0.4 miles))
- Land to west of Castle Street & Maresfield, incorporating Columbine, part of Venture Quays, Barracks Building at the Esplanade and Albany Road, East Cowes, PO32, pending decision (750 m (0.5 miles))
- Former Somerton Reservoir, Newport Road, Cowes, PO31 7ER, pending decision (780 m (0.5 miles))
Energy projects nearby
1 energy project near the postcode.
| Project | Kind | Size | Stage | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhill Anaerobic Digestion Plant Isle of Wight P/01378/12 | Anaerobic digestion | 1 MW | Operational Oct 2016 | 3.9 km (2.4 miles) |
Planned projects can change or not go ahead; search the planning authority's applications by the reference shown for the plans, conditions and any objections. Construction brings traffic for some months; once built, solar farms and batteries are usually quiet, while turbines and waste plants can be seen or heard further away.
Flood risk
No address in this postcode is in an area at high, medium or low risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water. The rest are in areas at very low risk: less than a 0.1% (1 in 1,000) chance a year.
Rivers and the sea alone: no home is in an area at risk.
High: 3.3% (1 in 30) or more chance of flooding a year. Medium: 1% to 3.3%. Low: 0.1% to 1%. Very low: under 0.1%. The rivers and sea figures allow for flood defences. Counts cover whole postcodes, which can include other streets.
Flood zone for planning: no postcode centre is in flood zone 2 or 3.
Recorded floods
No recorded flood covers the centre of this postcode.
Recorded floods are where floodwater was seen or surveyed after a flood. Many floods were never mapped, an outline over a postcode's centre does not mean every home in it flooded, and homes outside one may have. Ask the seller whether the home itself has flooded.
Coastal erosion
The nearest projected erosion zone is 450 m (0.3 miles) from the postcode (by 2105, if defences are not maintained or built).
| Projection | Policy for the frontage | Erosion | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| By 2055, with the shoreline management plan carried out | Hold the line IoW | none (the line is held) | 450 m (0.3 miles) |
| By 2105, with the shoreline management plan carried out | Hold the line IoW | none (the line is held) | 450 m (0.3 miles) |
| By 2105, if defences are not maintained or built | No intervention IoW | up to 21 m | 450 m (0.3 miles) |
Each shoreline management plan sets a policy for each stretch of coast: hold the line (keep defences where they are), managed realignment (let the shore move back in a controlled way), advance the line, or no active intervention. Erosion is the distance the shore may move back, counted from today, for the higher central climate change allowance. The maps are guidance from national modelling, not a survey of any one home; the council's coastal team can say more.
Storm overflows
8 storm overflows within 1 km (0.6 miles) of the postcode spilled 240 times, for 427 hours in all, in 2025. They discharge into Medina Estuary, River Medina, The Solent, River Medina Estuary and others.
| Overflow | Into | Spills | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thetis Wharf Ps Southern Water | Medina Estuary | 48 | 38 | 450 m (0.3 miles) |
| Floating Bridge Cowes Cso Southern Water | River Medina | 3 | 0 | 470 m (0.3 miles) |
| Castle Street Cowes Cso Southern Water | The Solent | 40 | 22 | 690 m (0.4 miles) |
| Castle Street Cowes Cso Southern Water | River Medina | 9 | 2 | 700 m (0.4 miles) |
| St Mary Road Cowes Wwps Cso Southern Water | The Solent | 51 | 98 | 720 m (0.4 miles) |
| Terminus Road Cowes Cso Southern Water | The Solent | 5 | 2 | 720 m (0.4 miles) |
| High Street Pumping Station Southern Water | River Medina Estuary | 61 | 226 | 790 m (0.5 miles) |
| Market Hill Cowes Cso Southern Water | The River Medina | 23 | 40 | 860 m (0.5 miles) |
A storm overflow lets sewage diluted with rainwater into a river, stream or the sea when heavy rain overwhelms the sewers, so the spills here affect the water they run into, not homes. A spill is counted the regulators' way: a first 12 hours, then each 24 hours it goes on.
Coal mining
No postcode centre here is in a coalfield: the Mining Remediation Authority records no coal mining risk here.
Radon
The postcode is in a 1 km square in the lowest band of radon potential: fewer than 1 home in 100 is estimated to be at or above the Action Level. It is not a radon Affected Area.
Gas and electricity use
No gas meters are recorded on the postcode, against 9 electricity meters: it looks to be off the mains gas grid, or almost, with heating from electricity, oil, LPG or solid fuel.
These are all the homes on the postcode, whatever their size and however many live in them, so they show the kind of homes and heating here rather than what any one home uses. The typical figure is the median: half the homes used less. The district is PO31.
Historic landfill
No historic landfill site is within 500 m (0.3 miles) of the postcode.
Height above sea level
The postcode's 12 addresses are between 17 m and 18 m above sea level (18 m on average).
Broadband
Superfast 100%, ultrafast 100%, gigabit 100% of premises; 0% cannot get 10 Mbit/s. Ofcom Connected Nations, data as at January 2026.
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Ryde Pier Head 129,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 9.8 km (6.1 miles) |
| Ryde Esplanade 130,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 10 km (6.2 miles) | |
| Ryde St Johns Road 53,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 10.5 km (6.5 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 7 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 25 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Arctic Road Cowes | 130 m |
| Bus or coach station | IOW Festival Fairlee | 4.6 km (2.8 miles) |
| Ferry terminal | West Cowes Floating Bridge | 370 m |
| Car parks | Cowes Park and Ride | 910 m (0.6 miles) |
| EV charging points | 7 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Be.EV Charging Station | 490 m (0.3 miles) |
| Airport with scheduled flights | Southampton Airport SOU | 22 km (14 miles) |
| Nearest large airport | London Gatwick Airport LGW | 89.4 km (56 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 2 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Cowes Medical Centre Good Sep 2022 | 650 m (0.4 miles) |
| Pharmacies | 4 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Day Lewis Pharmacy | 560 m (0.3 miles) |
| NHS dentists | 5 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Castle Street (Dental Surgery) | 580 m (0.4 miles) |
| Hospital | St Mary's Hospital Good Jul 2026 | 5.1 km (3.1 miles) |
| Care homes | 7 homes within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Cherry Blossom Care Home Good Jul 2019 | 430 m (0.3 miles) |
| Police station | Newport Police Station | 6.2 km (3.9 miles) |
| Cash machines | 3 machines within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest The Southern Co-operative Cowes Mill Hill Road, Cowes | 430 m (0.3 miles) |
Nurseries and childcare
3 nurseries, pre-schools and clubs within 1.5 km (0.9 miles), the nearest 640 m (0.4 miles) from the postcode's centre.
| Provider | Kind | Places | Latest inspection | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Love Lane Pre-School and Nursery CIC PO31 7ET | Full day care | 65 | Good (Apr 2025, overall grade under the previous framework) | 640 m (0.4 miles) |
| Blackberry Lane Pre-School PO31 8HF | Full day care | 50 | Good (Jun 2022, overall grade under the previous framework) | 840 m (0.5 miles) |
| Seashells Early Years Centre PO32 6EA | Full day care | 91 | Good (Apr 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) | 930 m (0.6 miles) |
Ofsted also registers 29 childminders and 11 home childcarers (nannies) in Isle of Wight. It does not publish their addresses, so they cannot be shown here; the council's family information service lists those taking children.
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Northwood Park 6.8 ha | 700 m (0.4 miles) |
| Play area | 2 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 440 m² | 300 m |
| Playing field | Unnamed 6.1 ha | 810 m (0.5 miles) |
| Allotments | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Moorgreen Road Allotments 7,510 m² | 540 m (0.3 miles) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 1 park or garden, 6.8 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is Hammerhead Crane at J S White Shipyard, a listed building (Grade II*), 300 m east. 83 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles), 5 of them Grade II*.
| Name | What it is | From the postcode's centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hammerhead Crane at J S White Shipyard | Listed building, Grade II* | 300 m east |
| Ivy House | Listed building, Grade II* | 750 m (0.5 miles) north |
| 88 and 89, High Street | Listed building, Grade II* | 770 m (0.5 miles) north |
| Church of St Mary | Listed building, Grade II* | 820 m (0.5 miles) north-west |
| Norris Castle | Registered park or garden, Grade I | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) east |
| Osborne | Registered park or garden, Grade II* | 2.4 km (1.5 miles) east |
| Name | What it is | From the postcode's centre |
|---|---|---|
| Cowes Harbour | Tidal water | 730 m (0.5 miles) north-east |
| Shamblers Copse | Wood | 740 m (0.5 miles) south |
| Spring Hill | Hill | 1.6 km (1 mile) north-east |
| Egypt Point | Wetland | 1.7 km (1.1 miles) north-west |
| Gurnard Cliff | Cliff or slope | 2.1 km (1.3 miles) west |
| Upper Pond | Lake or reservoir | 2.4 km (1.5 miles) south-east |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 7.5 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 5.8 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 8.7 | 40 | 15 |
All three are within the UK legal limits; PM2.5 is above the WHO guideline, as in most towns and cities.
Road and rail noise
| Level | Road traffic | Railways |
|---|---|---|
| Under 55 | 12 | 12 |
None of the postcode's 12 addresses is modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic or railways.
Road safety
7 collisions in which someone was hurt were reported around the postcode in 2021 to 2025: 0 fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight, in which 3 people were seriously hurt. 3 involved a cyclist; 2 involved a motorcyclist. 14% happened in the dark, and 29% on a wet or icy road. Most were on roads with a 30 mph limit.
| Year | Collisions | Fatal or serious |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 |
| Date | Severity | Who was hurt | Road | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov 2025 14:37 | Slight | 1 person: 1 motorcyclist | A3020, 30 mph | Wet road |
| 3 Jul 2025 18:45 | Slight | 1 person: 1 cyclist | Minor road, 30 mph | Daylight |
| 7 Mar 2025 10:28 | Slight | 1 person | Minor road, 30 mph | Daylight |
| 26 Sep 2023 11:12 | Slight | 1 person: 1 motorcyclist | Minor road, 30 mph | Daylight |
| 20 Sep 2022 12:54 | Serious | 1 person | Minor road, 30 mph | Daylight |
| 28 Dec 2021 20:49 | Serious | 1 person: 1 cyclist | Minor road, 30 mph | Dark, street lights on, wet road |
| 18 Jun 2021 16:49 | Serious | 1 person: 1 cyclist | A3020, 30 mph | Daylight |
Only collisions in which someone was hurt and which the police were told about are here: damage-only collisions and near misses are not, and some injuries are never reported. Positions are recorded by the police, usually to within a few metres. Each year's figures are published the following September.
Traffic on nearby roads
The busiest counted road within 500 m (0.3 miles) is the A3020 between Three Gates Rd and ferry, with 3,686 motor vehicles a day on average in 2025, 440 m (0.3 miles) from the postcode.
| Road | Between | Vehicles a day | Lorries | Ten years before | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A3020 | Three Gates Rd to ferry | 3,686 estimated; counted 2019 | 0% | -27% since 2015 | 440 m (0.3 miles) |
Each figure is the annual average daily flow: the motor vehicles passing the count point, both ways, on an average day of the year. A point is counted by hand on a weekday every few years and estimated from the trend on similar roads in between. Lorries are heavy goods vehicles, as a share of all motor vehicles.
Climate, daylight and earthquakes
Monthly temperatures and rainfall, sunrise and sunset through the year, and earthquakes recorded nearby since 1970 are much the same across the area, so they are worked out once for Isle of Wight: see them on the Isle of Wight page.
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 19% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 46% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 25% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 0% | 1% |
| Social rented | 16% | 17% |
| Private rented | 39% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 61% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 7% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 17% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 5% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 18% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 45% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | 0% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 7% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 25% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 79% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | 4% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this postcode | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 33% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 13% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 7% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 97% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | under 1% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this postcode is in decile 4 of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 1 is the most deprived tenth of England's 33,755 neighbourhoods and 10 the least.
The full dossier for this postcode's main street is on The Sidings.