Plans for a 145-berth marina in East Cowes are facing an objection from Island Roads, which has warned the development could have a ‘significant or severe’ impact on the surrounding highway network.
Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) submitted an application to the Isle of Wight Council seeking permission for a new marina development, proposing the construction of 145 floating berths arranged across pontoons, a 142-metre fixed access walkway and a main pontoon area measuring approximately 120 metres by 220 metres.
Island Roads has told planners at County Hall that insufficient information has been submitted to determine how much traffic the development would generate or whether nearby parking areas could cope with additional demand.
In its submission to the council, Island Roads said:
“The proposals envisaged in this application may have implications affecting the highway network due to displaced parking demand and therefore this office raises an objection based on the following grounds: Design Quality for New Development and Sustainable Travel.”
However, a transport statement submitted on behalf of CHC by transport planning consultant Valérie Ballorin states that the development is unlikely to result in a significant increase in vehicle movements.
Valérie Ballorin, Transport Planning Consultant, has said:
“Given that the proposals do not include administrative or ancillary marina facilities such as parking, boatyard, and food/chandlery stores, it has been shown that the proposed development is unlikely to generate significant additional numbers of vehicular movements on the local network.
Article continues below this advertisement “This TS has nevertheless examined the potential impact on parking availability within the town and concluded that short and long-term parking and loading demand from the proposed development can be accommodated, particularly as it will be minimal, infrequent and temporary throughout the year.
“Consequently, the proposals will not result in any significant or severe residual impacts on the local highway networks.”
The Isle of Wight Council’s public consultation on planning application is open until 21st April with a decision on the proposal is expected by 22nd June.
Like Island Roads cares!! Every single person in that God forsaken company actively trashes our roads system every day! They seem to take an anti-social enjoyment from disrupting our live anyway they can. Bully’s and sociopaths, everyone of them.
Got to be honest, it could be a very big issue, the
infrastructure at the moment is not working.
With long lines waiting for the Floating Bridge.
Many vehicles are causing gridlock from York Avenue.
The article literally says there’s been no clear evidence submitted yet on traffic impact, and even the consultant says vehicle movement would be minimal. You’re calling it a ‘big issue’ before that’s even been properly established.
Whilst I can see that “the proposed development is unlikely to generate significant additional numbers of vehicular movements on the local network”
I would question the assertion that “short and long-term parking and loading demand from the proposed development can be accommodated, particularly as it will be minimal, infrequent and temporary throughout the year”
a 145 berth marina,.. presumably the intention is that the majorty of those berths (say 120?) are to be used by locals, to moor their boats (as opposed to visiting boats who arrive by sea)..
So, (as ‘going sailing’ usually involves taking ”stuff’ with you,.. the participants are therefore unlikely to use public transport..), on a good sailing day, & especially Cowes Week, that’s up to maybe 120, or more, extra vehicles to park in East Cowes… (with no parking spaces provided as part of the development)
and they assert that that can be ‘accommodated’ ???
I think you’ve overcomplicated this and built it around a worst case that doesn’t really reflect how these places actually work.
You’re basically treating 145 berths as 145 cars turning up, loaded with gear, all needing parking at the same time, but that’s not how marina use plays out day to day. Boats are already moored, people come and go at different times, some trips are quick checks rather than full days out, and not every visit generates a new car journey. Even your own example of Cowes Week is a peak event, not the baseline they assess against.
On top of that, assuming most berths are locals all driving in every time is another stretch. Some will already be nearby, some won’t use them regularly, and usage naturally spreads across days and times rather than stacking up all at once.
That’s why the report talks about overall vehicle movements being minimal, it’s based on typical patterns, not a ‘what if everyone turns up together’ scenario. If you frame anything around a maximum load like that, of course it looks unworkable, but that’s not how planning assessments are done.
It is obvious East Cowes cannot cope with the
extra demand.
They need to build a bridge over East to West Cowes.
Its simple the traffic would flow perfectly.
Its the floating bridge that’s causing all the problems.
Traffic jammed waiting to get across, people having to go all the way to Coppins bridge in Newport to get to West Cowes or Visa Versa its ridicules.