A 4-house scheme on the main road into Cowes has been rejected by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee as councillors feared it was an underdevelopment of the site.
Outline plans had been submitted by Alan and Ian Jones for four two-storey houses on Newport Road, in Northwood,
Previous proposals for the site called for 5 houses but have been revised to 5.
Ward Cllr John Nicholson had called the application in to the planning committee and said Northwood has had more than its fair share of housing and questioned why was it necessary to add more, especially onto an ‘unspoilt location and onto a busy arterial highway’.
Cllr Nicholson said if the development was approved it would irreparably damage the greenfield and do nothing to benefit Northwood.
Cllr Chris Quirk said he was not a fan of green development anywhere and wondered if there had been any consideration to building homes more in line with the Island’s need on the site instead of the four, potentially 3 or 4-bed houses.
He said it seemed to be underdevelopment of the site but the houses proposed were ‘prime’ for those retiring to the Island and not much use for young Islanders trying to set up home.
Cllr Quirk suggested 4 buildings with 4 maisonettes be built on the site instead which would support local housing.
Cllr Vanessa Churchman said while it may not be a material planning consideration, it is unnecessary housing and they might as well build the houses on top of Culver Down.
Planning team leader, Russell Chick, explained the need for housing across the Island and how the council falls under the presumption in favour of sustainable development.
He said while the proposed development was not in the settlement boundary, officers deem it sustainable and it was next to existing housing in the ‘key regeneration area’.
In the Island Plan, Mr Chick said, housing is encouraged to be built in the key regeneration area.
Cllr Quirk proposed rejection on the grounds of underdevelopment of the site, seconded by Cllr Geoff Brodie.
Members of the planning committee eligible to vote, unanimously voted to refuse planning permission.
Officers had suggested permission be granted with 15 conditions.
another pair of chancers who are happy to wreck the greenfields, pump more co2 into the atmosphere, add to the congestion, add to the already overburdened doctors, dentists, hospitals and create more waste and mess, just to line their own pockets at the expense of the environment and the rest of us.
Yea cos only you are allowed to earn a living and No one else .
there is earning a living and there is wrecking the environment to pocket cash.
Refused because they are not building rabbit hutches, that’s got to be a first. Of course it will get the go ahead on appeal because with no Island plan of the type of housing required there is no reason to refuse it.
there is every reason to refuse it – you do not need any plan at all – just simple common sense
there are no homeless families of islanders living in shop doorways needing a house – therefore, none need building.
Those who are not islanders and do not live here, can choose to live somewhere else, they do not need to move here and therefore no houses need to be built in anticipation.
try and drive into newport at 0730/1200 or 1700 each weekday – that should be enough to tell you, we are full.
Some good news at least. Let’s hope common sense prevails and it doesn’t just get the go ahead on appeal. It seems these unscrupulous and uncaring-what- they-do-to-our-environment ‘developers’ (destroyers) always appeal if it gets turned down, in fact I’ve heard some of them say in the past that they expect their plans to be turned down first time, but automatically appeal and it goes ahead then. We must stop the Island being turned into a concret jungle, it is already bad enough here with the destruction that has already taken place.
Obviously their brown envelope was not large enough
So is it not about time people of the isle of wight realised that not everyone wishes to live in a first time buyer house, not only is it important to have a diverse range ge of houses, but also think aboit the employment on the island,
Builders have had a rough time over the last few months, the applicants are possibly related, they are not the size of Barrats who can afford to build starter homes
It is about time folk realised that it is not only builders that suffer, merchants, solicitors, carpet shops, soft finishers all need new houses to make a living, stop being so narrow minded,!!!
The only problem in addition to your point is that these houses would be sold as 2nd homes to overlanders. Also the council refused the build as they wanted more house on the plot not just four! And..the back handers obviously wasn’t large enough…give the councillors time, they see pound signs. The ideas out there now, the council will sit for a while, chew the cud and wait for it..approve the build and then some!