The Isle of Wight Council has declined to give specific timescales for the reopening of Bath Road in Ventnor, despite a long-running legal battle having now been settled.
The key connection between Ventnor Esplanade and the top of the town has been closed since October 2023 after heavy rain caused a privately owned wall to collapse, burying the road beneath rubble.
Responsibility for repairing the wall has been disputed between the Isle of Wight Council and a property owner ever since.
The council now says a ‘commercial settlement’ has been reached with the landowner in relation to covering the cost of repairing the wall.
A spokesperson for the local authority said there are ‘no further’ legal costs as a related court case has been discontinued.
They said:
“The council has served notice on the neighbouring property in relation to repairs to that part of the wall.
“The contribution from the owner of the wall will cover the costs of a localised garden wall repair.
Article continues below this advertisement “We are working on a solution to carry out repairs to the wall and get the road reopened as quickly as possible.
“The court case on July 28 was due to hear the details of the appeal related to ownership. The landowner withdrew the case following the signing of the commercial agreement.”
No date has been given for the work or the road reopening, however.
