A campaign group has hit its fundraising target to fight a major housing development in court.
Save Westridge Farm said it needed to raise nearly £40,000 to take the Isle of Wight Council to court over grievances with the way Captiva Homes’ West Acre Park planning application was handled.
The Isle of Wight Council has previously disagreed with the campaign and said there was nothing wrong with the way the decision was made for the approval of 473 new homes.
The group, which was started in 2021 to save the former dairy farm site on the outskirts of Ryde, has now had £39,570 in donations, from 739 pledges.
Friday 15th September was the group’s last chance to appeal the decision and submit a judicial review. Applications have to be made within 6 weeks of planning approval being granted. Posting on its Facebook page the campaign said hitting the target was ‘historic’ and it was now able to seek the judicial review, which it had been fighting for so long.
The group said:
“We must continue to protect this important greenfield site for the Island community and as a habitat for endangered species.”
The campaign believes there are many ‘wrongdoings’ and ‘errors’ in the way the application was determined. It has sent a letter to the Isle of Wight Council outlining what it believes to be the legal issues with the application and decision-making process. They include the conduct of the planning meeting where the application was first approved was unlawful and the council’s approach to a section 106 planning obligation was unlawful.
The council has previously denied any wrongdoing.
The group also alleges the conduct of Cllr Geoff Brodie in his involvement of the decision-making process was ‘tainted by apparent bias or by an improper motive’. Cllr Brodie said he did not wish to comment.
The campaign says even though it has reached the milestone, it will continue to fundraise for the next phase which would cover court costs. Before it can reach the High Court in London, a judge has to accept there is a case for judicial review.
At last, could we now see very soon this corrupt council topple and fall like a row of dominoes. Good luck.
It’s different this time, I know people didn’t want my house built. I know it affected wildlife. I know it obscured my neighbours view. But this time it’s my view.
And I’m sure you’d be first to complain if there was no milk for your morning cuppa!!
Total attention seeking numpty !!!!
May I suggest to all the normal folk ,let’s just ignore them…
Not worth the thumbs down effort…
Presumably not aTenant Farmer, then?
Captiva are developing island wide, there houses are timber frame and unlikely the stand the test of time. It would be interesting to find out how many of the current houses built have water flowing under there timber floors. Especially the ones at the bottom of the first phase of the site. The ground there is sodden. The sewage is to collected into pits then pumped back out, again a huge flaw in the ground. The ground is a flood plain, collecting water from all the roads above. I also invite all owner and prospective owner too read there tenure carefully because it’s understood that any remedial works required on this in say 10 years time could fall on the site owners to pick up the costs. These dwellings are also hardly affordable.
I agree with everything you say. Those who bought the homes must have been misled about the build quality and the drainage issues and were sold into a lifestyle that only exists in those computer generated pics they have on the developers signage etc. The truth is you’ve bought homes on a massive flood plain. Even the builders knew that as they were working in swamps when the weather was bad. Funny how there are now 2 so called ‘PONDS’ at the bottom of the development, hmmm wonder why they’re there….I already know families that have left…. Shame the developers didn’t give you a refund receipt on purchase. All they cared about was money in their bank accounts. And as for the roads leading to this estate they’re not fit for purpose.
Overpriced Rabbit Hutch sized properties.
This council betrayed local residents where I live some years ago. It cannot be trusted. I hope the legal battle finds in favour of the campaigners and that the council is taken down a much needed peg..
Before anyone complains about the waste of tax payers money know this…
If you read the Pre Action Protocol Letter sent to the Council, you will see that the Council has seemingly admitted illegal practices.
This letter gave the Council the opportunity to quash the planning decision, but instead they have chosen to allow this case to move towards litigation.
Also in this letter it mentions some Councillors concerns about the bullying tactics of we all know who!! The Councils response was that it was not in the public’s interest to investigate further because of the likely costs involved!!! How hypocritical is that!!
This Council have thrived for far to long on peoples apathy, and it makes one wonder just what is going on….
Good luck.
Council normally refuse to answer any inconvenient questions, by claiming its a secret
Wishing you every success in your fight with the council
Sadly you will never beat a Council, their corrupt government bosses will protect them.
Good luck for trying
Ryde cannot take any more people. The GP surgeries are undermanned and cannot cope now and don’t even think about getting an NHS dentist. Traffic is a nightmare as the roads cannot cope. Also, to develop this area is noting short of environmental vandalism, once its destroyed its gone forever. The council is supposed to support the community, not wreck it for financial gain!
Councils or Governments do not care for peoples needs, they only care for their own
gain, the Pandemic showed the country that.
Ryde cannot cope, the Roads are awful and the facilities are awful and being there is only
1 hospital on the island, more properties is not the answer.
Soon Ryde will be joint with Sandown if they keep building more and more
Properties.