Plans for a 38-house estate on a greenfield site in Rookley have prompted concerns over flooding, speeding and local infrastructure.
Rookley Parish Council filed an objection against Mr and Mrs Isaacson’s outline application for the new housing, 35% of which would be ‘affordable’, on agricultural land at The Lodge off Rookley’s Main Road.
The proposal also includes access roads and parking, landscaping, biodiversity enhancements and a Sustainable Drainage Systems pond.
It would comprise 25 units classed as market housing, 9 as social, affordable or intermediate rent and 4 as ‘affordable home ownership’, according to a submitted application form.
A Rookley Parish Council spokesperson has said:
“The site sits on clay. The parish council are aware that there were flooding issues in the area of the proposed development already (resident has photographic evidence that could be provided).
“The attenuation is at the top of the site, yet the site slopes down from that towards Merstone and the drainage ditch flows towards Blackwater.
“The parish council would need some guarantee that something effective would be installed to prevent flooding of nearby existing properties.”
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They highlighted speeding along the village’s Main Road with ‘2 accidents’ in the last 2 months and warned of a ‘big increase’ in pedestrian traffic, calling for a zebra crossing to be installed.
The parish council said the development’s proposed access was ‘too narrow’ and that visibility on the way out of the site would be ‘obscured’ by a waste bin, bus stop post and a hedge.
In addition, the objection letter said an adjacent pavement would need ‘widening’ with dropped kerbs installed.
The applicants’ agent, the Andrew White Planning Consultancy, said there is an ‘undeniable need’ for both market and affordable housing, with the plans making a ‘significant contribution’ to addressing the housing supply shortage:
“The new homes will be designed to a high quality and there will be a range of unit types and sizes.
“Significantly, 35 per cent of the new homes will be affordable homes, all designed to be indistinguishable from private market housing.
“Providing housing and associated infrastructure on this greenfield site would sit well with the general shape of the Rookley settlement and would not jut awkwardly into the countryside.”
The Isle of Wight Council is due to make a decision by 19th December.
Speeding is a problem on the island.
I cannot believe in the year 2025 that there are
“NO” speed cameras installed around the island,
hardly any speed humps.
It’s a free for all, roll on devolution, speed cameras
exist on the mainland.
Oh god!
will you give it a rest,you are like a sexual disease,bloody irritating!
You can get medication for diseases, shame they don’t
do medication for speeding.
Something “must” stop numpties speeding!
Pure greed – plain and simple.
Captiva (or Captive would be more appropriate name for them) have recently built over 30 new houses along the road at Tylers Grove.
They still have the placard up which says “You have missed out – go to Lily Farm in Godshill and you will find another “estate”.
Where do all these people come from?
Certainly not the island.
Where are the GP Surgeries? Schools? Dentists?
These “developers” are a menace whose only motivation is greed.
When will this overdevelopment stop ruining this beautiful Island, pretty soon it won’t be beautiful.