6 new homes can now be built on the edge of Gurnard and Cowes after the Isle of Wight Council’s decision was overturned by the government.
In March of last year, the council’s planning committee went against officers’ recommendations and ruled to refuse planning permission for the mixed property development on Baring Road, with officers saying the properties would meet the Island’s housing needs and be a suitable size, scale and design while not degrading the wider landscape character.
The committee feared, however, that the 6 houses and bungalows would bridge the gap between Cowes and Gurnard and agreed it failed to complement the character of the Jordan Valley.
Weighing up the arguments, however, the inspector on behalf of the Secretary of State said they were satisfied the development would not cause undue harm to the character and appearance of the area.
They said given that much of Baring Road was already predominantly developed, the proposed homes – which would sit opposite existing houses – would ‘not make any meaningful difference’ to any actual or perceived coalescence between Gurnard and Cowes.
“Whilst the new houses would occupy greenfield land which contributes to the open backdrop over the Jordan Valley,” the inspector said, “the modest scale and sympathetic siting of the proposed new dwellings would limit their impact on the open landscape.”
Overall, the inspector said there were no adverse impacts or harm found which would outweigh the significant benefit of six new properties on the Island, so the presumption in favour of development applied.
They were satisfied the 6 new houses would not add undue pressure to the highways network or other local service, adding a condition to the planning permission requiring the approval of external materials used on the properties by the council to ensure the new houses properly integrate with the street scene.
Bloody hell. The bloody Government are sticking up for NON AFFORDABLE homes to be built now. Decisions are going against what islanders feel is necessary and needed.
the only reason the council turned it down 6 was not enough they want more then 50+ then they will get more council tax
And there you have it, if planning is refused it’s granted on appeal, if it is granted planning by the council they are accused of back handers it is a lose lose for the Island.
the Island plan is way way overdue get it ratified by the inspectorate a.s.a.p., so that these developers clear off back to the mainland and leave our green fields alone. The longer we are without a plan the more fields we will loose.
won’t be able to see the sea for houses soon, its terribly sad.
Not a surprise. To suggest that just 6 houses can bridge a gap between two places is pretty weak, especially when this committee has approved hundreds on the outskirts of Ryde without blinking.
Committee needs a shake-up.
Once again, a bunch of interfering busy bodies living in london dictating what happens here – they are not the ones joining bigger queues at the doctors etc and should butt out.
So not only will we loose the hedgerow and all the wildlife within it but also the arable land that was and I believe still is growing foodstuffs, all for the sake of half a dozen houses which definately will not be in the affordable homes list.
So much for giving local councils more power in planning.
(The man from Bristol, he say OK)
Another piece in the concrete jungle jigsaw…..
We need green space for our wildlife, we don’t need more over inflated priced houses!!!!!
Welcome to the Isle of Wight , tour’s of the concrete jungle and New housing on a daily basis …..
soon be called City of Isle of Wight. No more tourists…
Perhaps the people whining about this might like to redress the balance by demolishing their own homes and reverting the land to wildlife?
No? Thought not.
The population demographic of the isle of wight must be the most skewed in the UK, even more so than those towns on the south coast dubbed god’s waiting rooms, we have primary schools up for closure because there is insufficent children to fill them, now thats ok in the short term but in 30 years we will have a dead island, not having an island plan is nothing short of neglect and reflects poorly on our so called politiicians, I am not surprised that so many planning applications are going to appeal, they know the council cannot afford to fight them constantly and it shows how out of touch the local authority is.
This is what happens when the NIMBY lot block all and every development. Maybe if they chose their battles better they would be able to achieve their aims. Saying no to everything just makes people ignore their point of view.
Remember – 6 times the whole population of the Isle of Wight (900,000 people) were given residency visas in Britain last year alone, so Whitehall continue to sanction the concreting of the countryside to house them, whilst all the major political parties at national level, from labour to libdems to greens to tories fully support these mass immigration policies (indeed certain of them want to increase it even more) , so for them to then pretend to fight it locally is hypocrisy of the highest order
Nice to see local decisions being over ridden by central government. Isn’t this what democracy is about? Isn’t this what you voted for?
More money for ferry companies….