The developer behind a contentious fire training facility project on vacant land at an Isle of Wight farm has come under face-to-face scrutiny with residents.
Andy Hunt, owner of the Flying Fish maritime training company, admitted at a Gurnard Parish Council meeting he had previously ‘failed miserably’ in communicating the firm’s intent to the community.
But he assured attendees at Gurnard Village Hall on 25th March, the proposed operation at Cockleton Farm would not involve fires, pallets or smoke.
It would instead use a controlled ‘gas solution’ method in shipping containers, Mr Hunt said.
His speech came after Cowes West and Gurnard councillor Paul Fuller’s call-in request for the application to be considered by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee.
Issues the Alliance representative cited include perceived short- and long-term health concerns, opposition to the site changing from an agricultural use, the development’s environmental impact and its proximity to residential property.
He also listed reasons such as ‘inappropriate overdevelopment’, potential disquiet regarding noise and light pollution and the development’s visual effect within the Gurnard Plateau.
Mr Hunt said:
“We are not going to be burning fires, pallets, smoke, oil drums as I’ve seen on some images that are out there – we are not doing that at all. We are using a gas solution.
“We will be using fire extinguishers on the site. We have a mixture of water fire extinguishers, mixture of CO2 extinguisher and power extinguisher on the gas solution.
“We plan to clear the site, to put down a flagstone base and then we have a series of containers arranged around there.”
He added there would not be any sirens or alarm systems going off and with a full course, 20 students on site with three of four instructors. Flying Fish intends at present to run one course per week.
One resident, Richard, said he felt the operation “could get bigger”, going from a few small containers to simulating a yacht or superyacht.
“As far as expansion goes, we don’t need to expand, we don’t need to go bigger and there is no intention to get bigger or change the configuration of the site,”
Mr Hunt said in response. Another member of the public, Peter, said:
“Just want to know if you would be prepared to put this commitment in writing so that as part of the planning application people can be confident that there is no opportunity to expand”.
Mr Hunt replied that he was “very happy” to put it in writing.
The Isle of Wight Council’s public consultation on application 26/00191/FUL finished on 20th March and a decision is planned for 16th April.
