Another major housing development in Gunville, branded an ‘urban sprawl’, is being called before Isle of Wight Councillors – but planners hope a £45,000 contribution could help solve traffic issues.
Outline plans to demolish workshops and build a residential development — thought to be more than 100 properties — with a means of access on Gunville Road, by the former Friends of the Animals charity shop, have been recommended conditional approval by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning authority.
All other details of the plans including layout, scale and appearance would be decided at a later date.
It follows the recent rejection of 2 other major housing applications in Gunville due to traffic concerns.
One of the committee’s issues was with the mini-roundabout at the top of Carisbrooke High Street, which data shows will exceed capacity by 2025, even without any new houses built in the area. Officers say there is little if anything that can be done to address the issue but it is not considered to outweigh the benefits associated with the proposed development.
A ‘sustainable transport contribution’ of £45,000 would be provided if the application is approved, to offset any negative traffic impacts caused by the development. The money would go towards the Gunville to West Wight cycle track, together with either a multi-use path to the boundary of Carisbrooke College playing fields or surface the existing public right of way.
Officers said the enhancements would encourage alternative means of transport with the potential to reduce pressure on the highway network.
Proposed changes to the layout of Gunville Road, if the scheme is approved, would see the removal of the priority flow system, and a replacement zebra crossing instead.
The final number of properties proposed for the partially brownfield site is not yet known although planning documents suggest it could be up to 117 dwellings.
Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council has objected to the plans, which were first tabled in 2019, saying it is an overly dense proposal. Among objections from 14 people, was the inadequate road infrastructure, it would be an ‘urban sprawl’ and a loss of green space.
The application will be determined by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee next week (Tuesday 16th November).
“Contribution” I call it bribery. Never heard such hogwash in my life. Alternative means of transport, oh come on…. this is just another brown envelope job.
thats what it is a sweatner
Agreed Mr DCC. Complete flannel. If this development goes ahead they will all be in their cars. For goodness sake ,traffic is already bad enough, and not just in Gunville, its past a joke. PLUS more waiting to see doctors, dentists, etc, etc. The island is becoming a challenging place to live, and thats a crime. Never seen so many road works and closures. Come on council, islanders have had enough.
Do the IW Council and developers really believe a cycle way to Freshwater, and a track into Carisbrooke will ease traffic congestion?
Do the IW Council and developers really think us the General Public are so gullible we believe what they say?
High time the IW Council got their feet firmly back on the ground, and started respecting the views of IW Residents.
That will never happen. The ones with the most money have the most power and do as they like. It doesn’t matter how many people object to something if people higher up with money have opposite ideas to what the people want. Like what happened over in Fawley, where the people wanted the Power Station Chimney to remain, but people behind the scenes were determined to get their way despite what everyone else wanted.
it is a bribe
Well, at least it’s on a brownfield and now includes a package for a cycle and multi track. Sounds quite good coming from a developer.
The fact that roundabout is going to meet its capacity even without this new development is clearly more in council’s hands and them allowing previous developments that depend so much on cars. I’ve been looking for the house in the area and ultimately resigned as it has very much the same design problems as car-dependant suburbia in US, I’m surprised such backward and academically-proven to be poor for both humans, climate and city design was ever allowed in the first place.
A ‘sustainable transport contribution’ of £45,000 would be provided if the application is approved, to offset any negative traffic impacts caused by the development.
……
what utter tripe – that is tantamount to sugar coating this turd of a deal and in the realm of brown envelope encouragement.
..
more idiots hell bent on adding to the pollution, the overcrowding, the CO2 emissions, the concreting over of the island and as the dentists and doctors/schools are already full and waiting lists are long – where are the services and infrastructure for all these new residents.
this will simply be more people imported to the island – reject it.
Couldn’t put it better myself & £45,000 is peanuts, wouldn’t make any difference at all in the scheme of things.
Are they going to supply all the dentists, doctors, nurses etc they will be required if they build this unwanted developement?
So a developer can offer a 45K carrot to help to pay for a new road lay out & the like, to encourage the planning of yet more unwanted houses. How about these money men offering such to the very thing we all do need at some point in our lives. The Hospital! Back in the 70s there were more Hospitals on this Island than Supermarkets. We all stood & queued at checkouts due to the lack of shops. Seldom do we queue at a checkout anymore. This is the total opposite with our Hospitals now reduced to one & our population growing evermore. Think long & hard planning committee!
I thought investment in the NHS was made by central government which has been Tory blue for most of the last 40 years. So I think it’s the electorate who should be thinking long and hard.
This island needs a revolution.
I’ve lived on the Island all my life. Was just thinking…
Back in the 50’s and 60’s we had virtually the same amount of main roads as we do today.
Back then, we had a Railway Network that served the whole of the Island, carrying not only passengers but goods as well.
Back then, the River Medina was a transport link for Commercial goods.
So in reality our infrastructure has drastically shrunk despite the increase in traffic.
The same for our Hospitals. Back then we had five Hospitals:- St Marys, Ryde County Hospital, the two cottage Hospitals Frank James and the one in Shanklin and Whitecroft.
Worth considering…
Have the planners read the problem our ONE Hospital has as of now what will it be like with this continuous building ????????
Have they seen the problems with social care?????
Have they engaged their brain and thought enough is enough (probably not)
All the problems will only grow as the population rises and age’s !!!!!!
Our infrastructure will not cope ….
Oh unless they are going to extend the island!!!!!!!
Ridiculous no Dentists,Doctors Hospital at Full Capacity Absolutely Insane All the council care about is money from developers If it was council housing for Islanders OK
More cars more people and less resources it’s going to be a busy island traffic jams ever where
You cant do much with £45,000 compared to how much can be made from the sale of 117 dwellings. We don’t need more houses as we don’t have the infrastructure to support it going forward ..Hospitals Doctors Dentists etc and how will this lower our carbon emissions?
More toxic environment for the Island, more toxic low life shipped here
What don’t they get.
Don’t build… Improve what we have!! have some insight for gods sake and improve this degrading Island NOT BUILD MORE we just can’t look after anymore people here, we can’t take care of the Islanders now.
Thick as……
How does offering a backhander make this stupid idea practical.and take away local transport issues ?? Once again trying to get any more traffic through the Waverly junction is not only a crazy idea but a very dangerous one .I have to regularly cross the road there and have to wait ages with cars moving so fast Huge lorries,tractors and buses navigating the roundabout . No more traffic here please it’s so dangerous !
£45,000 is nothing. That will be lost in bureaucratic paperwork. Ten times that amount maybe.