A proposed 127-home development in a West Wight village will increase exposure to flood and pollution risks for “current and future generations”, an Isle of Wight councillor has said.
Earlier this week (Wednesday) ward representative Becca Cameron, declared her opposition to Tallulah Estate’s outline application for an estate off Freshwater’s Camp Road, including access roads, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) provision and landscaping.
Tallulah Estate’s agent, the Andrew White Planning Consultancy, has said the homes will be 35% ‘affordable’ and designed to a ‘high quality’, with a ‘range’ of unit types and sizes.
The newly lodged plans come after the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee rejected a previous application for a 127-home scheme next to Camp Road in November 2024. Reasons for the refusal included ‘inadequate and deficient’ information relating to surface water drainage and impacts on environmentally protected areas, and surveys of protected bat species.
Cllr Cameron, the Empowering Islanders group representative for Freshwater South, said:
“Freshwater sits in a natural bowl and already faces regular flood risk when heavy rain meets a high tide.
“Local pumping stations struggle, leading to sewage spills into Afton Marsh (SSSI), the Causeway, and the Western Yar — part of an internationally protected Ramsar site. This will only get worse with climate change.
“The Camp Road field is valuable agricultural land and a habitat that buffers floods and supports biodiversity. Building here would increase peak run-off and reduce natural floodplain storage, while adding phosphorus and nitrate loads to sensitive water bodies.
Article continues below this advertisement “GP access, school places, and drainage are already under pressure. This scheme adds demand without delivering the genuinely affordable homes our community needs.”
She added the “urban development” was not right for Freshwater and would dilute its appeal as a “stunning heritage tourist destination”, leading to “economic setback”. Cllr Cameron, who was elected to County Hall in a May by-election, said the people of Freshwater had “stood up to fight to protect our beautiful area before it is destroyed forever”.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) at the time:
“People visit the West Wight for its beauty, its open spaces, for its inspiration, its nature, peace and tranquility and not to see mass housing developments the government is forcing upon us.”
The Andrew White Planning Consultancy statement supporting Tallulah Estates’ bid said there was an ‘undeniable need’ for both ‘market and affordable housing’.
“This outline application seeks to deliver 127 homes and associated infrastructure, making a significant contribution to housing supply within a large thriving village environment.
“Failing to support this application would be a failure of the requirement to provide the right housing in the right location to support the current and future generations of the local community.
“The proposal can provide an attractive, functional and accessible environment that contributes to the sense of place.”
County Hall’s public consultation on proposal 25/01505/OUT closes on 28th November and a decision is due on 23rd January.
We have not got the infrastructure to support more homes. Sewage, water, NHS facilities and more are all overstretched on the Island already.
Stop over developing and building these so called “much needed housing”.
Well said, totally agree with you, but as usual never listened to.
Well said Edgar. As someone pointed out the other day, there are hundreds of properties on the market in Freshwater and the market is stagnant
This area of agricultural land is an important ‘ soak away’ for the water that runs off the high downs. It’s no wonder flooding is common these days with people concreting their gardens for parking and new estates like this sprouting up on green field sites. This particular site does have a varied range of wildlife living in and around it including Badgers,( they come into adjoining gardens from this field) as part of their night time foraging.
There are old derelict buildings in Newport on Brown Field Sites, that could be easily converted into many affordable dwellings, leave these areas of natural rural beauty alone. You can’t just concrete the world without the flooding consequences !!
Didn’t west wight vote Labour? So you are getting what you voted for