A councillor’s retrospective planning application has been granted after stables were built nearly double the size approved.
The committee stressed, however, it was not a code of conduct hearing so it would be basing the decision solely on planning merits.
Councillor Clare Mosdell’s application for stables, along with a new all-weather menage, was called into the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee, due to the fact it is an application by a councillor and a neighbour objected to the plans.
Permission for the stables was approved in June 2020 with a floorspace of 28m2 but the final building measures at 52m2, with another stable block built and entrance to the field.
Cllr Mosdell previously said they could not build what had been granted because of land levels, run-off water and flooding.
Acting as agent for Cllr Mosdell at Tuesday’s planning committee, David Long, of BCM said:
“When it was being constructed [Cllr Mosdell] contacted me immediately to say she wanted to regularise the building as soon as possible as the right thing to do.”
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Mr Long said the main bone of contention with the neighbour’s objection is drainage but argued the sand school will be permeable, with no standing water, as it is built to withstand all weathers. He questioned whether the neighbours have soakaways on their land to deal with the natural flooding. He said:
“The concern is water filtering onto their land. It is a natural issue due to the topography and drainage: water does not flow uphill, it flows downhill but to pinpoint the water issues on this application is disingenuous.”
Charlotte Silvester, speaking on behalf of her husband, the objector Jason O’Donnell, said the land is their pension and dealing with the matter had been heartbreaking. She said:
“There is no drainage planned and it is right on my border. Drainage, and a drainage plan, must be provided if you are to approve this.
“If you are to pass this, you will condemn us in perpetuity to her run-off, and flooding in heavy or prolonged rainfall.”
Ms Silvester said the ménage, which will be made with compacted chalk, could not provide natural drainage and would only further increase flooding.
Council planning officer Russell Chick said they would not expect the menage to cause any particular issue to the neighbouring property as it would not cause excess water run off and in previous planning applications on the property, going as far back as 2006, no drainage conditions had been applied.
The councillors’ report stated the development would be unlikely to increase surface water on the site or run-off to the neighbouring land and the proposed surfacing material for the ménage would enable suitable natural drainage.
However, councillors asked for the conditions to be toughened to include details of a drainage scheme submitted to and approved by the planning authority before the ménage is built.
When debating the application, Cllr Geoff Brodie said it was an unfortunate situation they were in but the application would not have come to the committee had it been ‘Joe Bloggs Island resident’ but he had ‘a reasonable understanding’ retrospective planning applications are not unusual on the Island.
He said the bottom line is they were the planning committee, not a standards committee or the monitoring officer, and they must not judge the situation on code of conduct.
Cllr Brodie ultimately recommended the application be approved, as per officers’ conditions and accepted the amendment to toughen the condition.
Cllr Claire Critchison proposed the tougher condition but also said:
“I am sure none of us would like to be put in this position by one of our own. The applicant was aware of the rules and made a very bad judgement, considering her position.
“Councillors sign up to represent their community and should do their best to lead by example.
“There are costs incurred for the council not only financial but also damaging to the public image from this application regardless of the decision.”
The permission was approved with 8 votes for, with 1 abstention, Cllr Martin Oliver, who said he did not agree with the tougher drainage condition.
UPDATE – A spokesperson for the Council’s controlling Alliance Group has said:
“The Alliance Group has noted the many public comments made about the Planning Application decided at Tuesday evening’s Planning Committee involving Councillor Mosdell. We very much understand the majority of the feelings expressed, however the application was decided in accordance with the rules and policies currently laid down. If the Committee had done otherwise that would itself have been a breach rules and led to an appeal being launched, with every chance of success.”
Well what does that tell everyone.
Surprised ??? Don’t be .. what’s the adage ‘not what you know – who you know ‘
I thought a new independent council would be different from the old ,but apparently not !
Oh jobs for the boys. If the face fits. I’m all right jack.you will be ok.don’t worry.
Well what a surprise. Of COURSE it would be approved. Cant think why…………….!
well we know she would get it anyone else no way
and there you go
NOTE TO COUNCIL
YOU HAVE JUST LOST MY VOTE NEXT TIME AROUND.
Oh well, no change in this council…. all hope is lost for any change of tact, Dave Stewart is the hidden puppeteer maybe?
wonder how much that cost her in back handers ! . I was once told by a small builder the Isle of Wight council is the most corrupt in the uk . and now I see why !
Really wow nice one council
And they wonder why the public disengage with politics !
One rule for them and another for us !!!!!
Oops I accidentally built my porch / conservatory bigger than the planning permission ……
Don’t think I would get away with it …….
If she had any morals she would give up as a council member. Shame on you all in the council for backing her in her law breaking. You know you have done wrong
This council is no better than the last
On the edge,
close to the wind, does not do her behaviour justice. The correct course of action would have been to request amended planning permission, BEFORE, building it. The regulations, i believe, were broken. Whether they were or not is for the birds and the electorate.Plus ca change, Plus c’est la meme chose.
I wonder how many of the public’s planning applications are going to double in size and be rejected, unlike the councillors.
Here we go again so if you or I built something bigger than planning gave permission for , then we would have to take it down oh obviously depends who you are, here goes the saying again ,one rule for us another for them ,do as I say not as I do ,it’s obviously who you know
I never knew there was so much money in being a councillor. All that land and new stables, does not come cheap.
The basic allowance is for each councillor I believe is £7,000 plus. Even for those lawfully but not democratically elected.
It so be interesting to see what planning applications get turned down, and why in the future. Then again they could always just get a job at the council and bugger to it anyway.
How ca they turn anything down now.
It’s a shameful joke.
Are we surprised no ,wasn’t even a chance it would be refused ,this is the Island council after all , they sure aren’t trying very hard to be different ! I’m absolutely disgusted in this being granted , nothing much changes over here !
So many had high hopes for the new council, cronyism at its best has destroyed many people’s hopes that this council would be different from the previous one. Seems it’s still the same club, just different faces.
Please please get it right – a horse riding area is called a Manège – think of it as a place where a horse is ‘managed’.
A ménage is an arrangement in which a married couple and the lover of one of them live together is called a ménage à trois