‘Confusion’ in the Isle of Wight Council chamber has led to a further delay for a major housing development on the outskirts of Ryde.
The West Acre Park development, which will bring over 470 much-needed homes to the Ryde area, was due to be discussed by the council’s planning committee yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) after further issues with the scheme were raised.
They related to a loss of habitat for curlews and the planning committee was due to discuss whether mitigating factors — including a green space elsewhere — would be appropriate and allow the development to proceed once again.
The application has been held in waiting since July 2021 when approval was given to grant planning application, but due to legal matters being discussed that has not been done — now 17 months later.
The application was not even debated by the committee as questions were raised about whether councillors were considering just the matters relating to curlews or the entire planning application. A number of councillors commented they had misunderstood the papers and it was their view the only matter due to be discussed was the curlew issue.
Officers clarified the whole application was being considered as well as the additional matter of the curlew.
Councillor Peter Spink said it was impossible for councillors to do justice in considering the application as they may not have read all the documents and were not prepared. The original report on West Acre Park presented to the committee in 2021 was not included in the papers for yesterday’s meeting but was linked in the online version.
Councillor Chris Jarman said it had been some time since reading the original documents so he was not fully prepared to discuss the entire application tonight.
Local ward councillor Michael Lilley said he came to the committee on the basis of discussing the curlews and was shocked they were looking at the application in its entirety.
Chris Potter, the council’s monitoring officer, said as it was thought further information was thought to be needed, the right thing to do would be to defer the application.
On a vote, 8 councillors voted for a deferral and 2 voted against, which means a decision will be made in April now instead.
Throw the plans away, and start again – with something that the area can sustain.
(I know – no chance)
which will bring over 470 much-needed homes to the Ryde area
these are not much needed, as there are not 470 born and bred island families, homeless in shop doorways. Perhaps IE could report that this development is not needed, instead of being pro environment wrecking to increase the population further.
don’t just defer – bin it altogether , the island and islanders don’t want it.
ABSOLUTELY right. Not needed not wanted.
Just say NO…..
That way everyone knows where they stand !!!!!!!
Greenspace ..flora and fauna, are more important than the concrete jungle…
Exactly, let’s have a vote to rewild Ryde. Demolish all the houses and turn it back into green farmland like God intended.
For Gods sake shrink this development. The increased traffic will be horrendous. No dental treatment. Doctors seen if your lucky. My last medical appointment was in Salisbury, three times. Come on council we cant sustain all of this.
You mention dental. What about MENTAL Definitely needed here.
Absolutely disgraceful.
This wrecked a family who had farmed there for generations and left.
I wish they’d enlighten us about the repetitive statement “much needed homes”, much needed homes for who exactly?? I wonder if the Councillors on the planning committee actually know themselves.
They say the benefits far out weigh the negatives. What benefits?? and benefits who exactly??…
The Curlews should be left where they are, rather than risk moving their habitat and risk loosing them forever.
The obvious decision is to refuse the whole application, we don’t want it, we don’t need it.
The alternative idea was to turn Westridge into a Community Farm. Now that would be of benefit to the whole of the Community, but unfortunately not Ball, Pink and the IWCC
.
Build first on brown field sites for Island residents only,
Is the ‘much needed homes’ phrase a reported comment (if so by whom) or the view of the author of this story or of this publication?
I agree it is a subjective view and depends on perspective.
It’s the phrase of the developers Captiva…..
Ban New Builds, make use of what the island already have available on
Rightmove.
BAN 2nd Homeowners and that will free up more properties.
And landlords.
Ban you Trevor. What a load of drivel. Ban holidaymakers perhaps and all associated jobs on the island. Get back in you mud hut looney.
I remember the days when Holidaymakers stayed in Hotels, chalet / caravan
sites and B&Bs
They do not need to own homes they use once in a blue moon, taking properties
from islanders.
Idiot.
Absolutely well said, wonder what will happen about the millions given to the greedy owner of 10 houses to re-wild a couple of his fields to offset these houses !!!
End the confusion. Simples, End development!
Why keep building when there are thousands of properties available on the Island
that are empty.
BAN 2nd Homeowners and that will free up more properties so no more green spaçes
will need removing to build more monstrosities.
Think Green
They keep building so Brown envelopes can exchange hands profiting the persons who allow these builds to happen.
Corruption takes place all around the country and the world
The Island is no different.
Trevor writing more drivel again. There are not thousands of empty properties on the island.
I bet you would get planning permission for a pub
Obviously homes for the homeless is not important
When St Marys cannot cope with any more patients, when there are not enough GPs or dentists and there are brownfield sites like Harcourt sands & Flamingo Park in need of development, no new massive housebuilding projects should be allowed at West Acre, Pennyfeathers or anywhere else on the Island until public services are improved!
Captiva builds house, and have sold them all, meaning there must be a need, not only that, they have set aside houses to rent out, at very reasonable rates. They have also invested into the community’s of the towns, they have built in. New build houses are not bad, they create jobs for working island men, they create jobs for the whole supply chain. They create jobs for there sales team. There putting huge amounts of money into the island economy. Good quality new build housing is needed, along with better health care for all, this though is not the failings of a developer, it the failing of our government, the government that has made it easier for people to work less to earn more, the government that hands out taxpayers money for free.
Stop dressing up environmental destruction, the deaths of insects, birds, creatures due to the loss of their habitats, the destruction of the ecosystem in those greenfields, the loss of the trees that remove CO2 and put oxygen into the atmosphere (trees and other plant life are the best decarbonisation tool we have, as they naturally remove CO2 from the air), the increase in population, pollution, rubbish, pressure on infrastructure, more CO2 in atmosphere, more car exhaust emissions, in positive spin
it is the failings of the developer – as they could have said “no, we are not building anything on greenfields” -then the mp’s would have two choices – turn up, roll their sleeves up and start laying bricks or give up on the idea.
Environmental destruction, we don’t live in the Victorian times, isle of whiter, timber frame housing is the lowest emissions emitting homes around. And Are not cars not going EV. More corruption by your government. Wait till you see the damage lithium is going to do to the world. West ridge farm is in the middle of a urban neighbourhood, their our houses in all directions around it. There are three major developments planned in the ryde east area, penny feathers, and rosemary vine yard. Out of the three, west acre development is the most suitable for the area, and in my option the less damaging to the island landscape, yes nature is going to be disturbed in the process, but it’s also going to be replenished by the planting of a lot more.
470 homes are much needed Island Echo, so you say, by who? Who will be buying these places? Nothings moving at the moment. People can’t afford the mortgage and the EXTORTIONATE cost of general day to day living.