‘Severe concerns’ over water infrastructure have been raised in response to plans that could see dozens of extra affordable homes included in a huge Isle of Wight housing development.
Nettlestone and Seaview Parish Council (NSPC) is strongly urging a refusal of Westridge Village’s revised application to alter conditions attached to a 2025 planning consent for the 473-home West Acre Park estate.
Captiva Homes, which previously hailed the start of construction at the site, has said the latest proposal’s purpose is to facilitate a revised affordable housing delivery strategy.
Earlier this summer, the developer said that subject to necessary approvals and agreements being completed, the development would deliver 207 affordable homes in total, up from the approved 166 units.
However, NSPC sent planners 4 grounds of opposition including overbearing impact and overlooking, ‘inadequate’ water and drainage infrastructure as well as highways and access concerns.
A spokesperson said:
“Severe concerns remain regarding Southern Water’s capacity to handle wastewater and surface water. They have indicated themselves that they cannot accommodate more than 82 properties.
“No evidence guarantees the existing network can support this load without causing off-site flooding or environmental damage.”
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The parish council also said proposed changes ‘fail’ to resolve ‘unresolved issues’ regarding vehicle movements, junction capacity, site access visibility, and pedestrian safety on surrounding lanes.
A spokesperson for Captiva Homes previously said:
“We are particularly pleased that these proposals would create a range of affordable housing options for local people, recognising that there is no single solution to the Island’s housing challenges.
“The mix of social rent, shared ownership and discount market sale homes would provide different routes into housing for people at different stages of life and with different financial circumstances.
“If approved, West Acre Park would deliver 207 affordable homes without increasing the overall size of the development, making it one of the most significant contributions to affordable housing provision on the Isle of Wight in recent years.”
Its not affordable and yes our infrastructure on island is not up to it..
The wording ”Affordable homes” (that aren’t) is just a fancy phrase for free homes for the benefit ones. Who is going to buy one on a life long mortgage surrounded by junkies and drunks and their feral brats
They will be for all social housing persons
Drainage on the island is shite without these extra homes.
The government and council planners need to demand that new water reservoirs are supplied for any new build houses, to help cope with the extra demand that they are going to create. Also they need to make the developers provide adequate flooding facilities to protect surrounding properties
Its all ready out there that the storage needs to be for 80 billion liters by 2050 but the ones being built,still not built won’t supply a fraction of that so still we are fucked for decades to come.Well done all governments and water wanker companies.
Another example of the farcical planning system which Captiva and their ilk exploit. Submit one scheme for approval and subsequently change it for something different quoting the “much needed affordable housing” mantra, which appears to make everything OK – even if it isn’t affordable in any normal sense of the word. It is clear that the existing waste water and sewage infrastructure can not cope with the current load. Southern water have said it themselves. Until there is clear and demonstrable proof that the infrastructure has been upgraded no new homes should be added to the already overloaded system.
How it starts – “it will be wonderful with spacious gardens and parks and all manner of wonderful amenities”.
How it proceeds – “we can’t make enough money on what we promised so we need to have a higher density than forseen”.
How it ends – “we can’t afford all those amenities so we’ll have to cut back on them, but thanks for our high density and fat profits”.
This is absolute rubbish all Craptiva give a t..s about is money & that’s all, why do the Council never refuse their planning applications ? What’s going on ????
Don’t make me laugh, revised plans for affordable homes, so it’s nothing to do with profits then for captiva homes.
It always amazes me that Southern Water seem to continually bleat on about the problems they experience with the disposal of waste water ‘because of the Victorian sewer system’ and have to replace mile after mile if pipework due to bursts, no doubt contributed to by the fact that they have to push ever greater volumes of water through a network that was designed for a much smaller population. However, I have yet to see ANY input on a Planning Application by said company raising any objections/issues/difficulties regarding, as they frequently quote when doing repairs or replacement, that the system is not able to cope with additional large demand!