‘Permanent harm’ would be caused to a scenic conservation area by a controversial greenfield housing plan, warns Freshwater Parish Council.
Freshwater councillors have objected to GL Developments IOW’s revised proposal for self-build housing, a means of access, public footpath, open space, orchard and ancillary infrastructure on land off Queens Road at Pound Green.
The applicant’s previous bid for homes at the site was refused consent after County Hall received 130 objections as previously reported by Island Echo.
GL Developments has told the council the latest proposal is ‘well balanced’ and creates a ‘distinct sense of place’, allowing change to take place but in a ‘respectful and sensitive’ manner.
Freshwater Parish Council (FPC) said:
“The parish council acknowledges that the application has been revised following the refusal of the previous application.
“However, it considers that the revisions do not adequately address the fundamental concerns relating to the site’s heritage significance, landscape character, design uncertainty, pedestrian safety, drainage and location outside the defined settlement boundary.
“Freshwater Parish Council therefore considers that the revised proposal has not overcome the principal concerns associated with the previous scheme.
Article continues below this advertisement “The development is within the Pound Green Conservation Area, and the proposed development would occupy most of the view from the pound towards the Farringford and from Bedbury lane back towards the pound.
“These views would therefore lose their essentially rural outlook and the green corridor between the Farringford and Pound Green would be lost.”
Grounds for refusal listed by FPC include harm to the character and setting of the Pound Green Conservation Area, ‘insufficient certainty’ regarding the final design and appearance of the development, a failure to show the scheme is appropriate outside the settlement boundary and ‘unresolved’ pedestrian and vehicle access concerns.
The body also cited ‘inadequate’ evidence relating to surface-water drainage and wastewater capacity as well as a lack of certainty around ecological mitigation and long-term habitat management.
GL Developments previously told planners the proposal delivers a public open space to enhance the visual characteristics of the area.
The planned orchard ’embellishes’ the conservation area while the public footpath will provide a ‘valuable’ safety improvement compared to walking in the Queens Road carriageway, a Planning Statement said.
It said the proposed development delivers significant benefits without technical conflict to the means of access, trees, ecology or drainage.
County Hall’s public consultation ended on 14th August with a decision scheduled for 4th September.
