Plans to transform 2 barns on a farm south of the Isle of Wight’s largest town into 3 homes have been withdrawn following local opposition.
Eric and Claire Smillie withdrew their prior approval application to convert 2 barns at Whitefield Farm, off Ashey Road and south of Ryde, after the council received objections from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and residents of the area.
Each of the proposed residential units included 3 bedrooms as well as a kitchen, dining and living room area, according to submitted plans.
The Isle of Wight Railway Company Ltd objected on 6 grounds, claiming it was not ‘formally consulted’ and citing concerns with site access, increased traffic and the safety of road and railway crossing users.
Ashey Road resident Lindsay McComb said:
“The access to this land is very restricted and there is a single-track road which is also a public footpath, with limited passing places.
“The extra traffic which would result would have a detrimental effect on the area. The exit onto the road is hazardous. The land is near to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (Swanpond Copse) and other environmentally significant locations.”
Fellow Ashey Road neighbour Paul Brading said:
“The current application appears to be lacking in relation to a structural report and detailed methodology in terms of how the buildings would be converted.
“It is my opinion that the amount of works and structural intervention needed in relation to the larger, more modern building, would go beyond being a conversion.”
Benjamin Brown said:
“I am writing on behalf of Michael and Anna Lea in Great Whitefield Manor and myself and family who live in the coach house at the same address.
“We all strongly object to this application as we have done before from previous applications.
“This is a private single-track road which was always intended to be shared with my neighbour and no one else.
“There is no space to have cars continually driving back and forth congesting the lane as there is no way of passing but also the danger of the steam railway crossing for people who do not share a relationship with the steam railway and understand the crossing when the train is running.”
I totally agree , it would not be a suitable place for what was planned
Planning on the island is shite!!