Plans to shore up the Isle of Wight’s iconic Military Road have been refused – despite warnings that it has less than 7 years left before it falls away and the coastal road has to be closed.
Members of the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee last night (Tuesday) turned down plans to stabilise the section between Brook and Hanover Point, in line with officers’ recommendation.
They said the work was likely to have had a significant adverse impact on the landscape and beauty and would have hit protected habitats, including an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Scientific Sites of Special Interest. But if nothing is done, it will all fall into the sea anyway…
Members also said the scheme had not considered the impact on the adjacent coastal path. Elsewhere along the stretch of coast, the coastal path diverts inland.
7 councillors refused the plan, however, councillors Matt Price and Claire Critchison chose to support the scheme, calling the Island road a ‘lifeline’.
The plan was to build a 26m-long wall to prevent the cliff edge from collapsing further, by drilling 21m deep into the ground to install piles. Billed as a temporary solution, it set out to support the award-winning route which, in some parts, is now less than 5 metres away from the cliff edge.
Island Roads has said if the current rate of erosion continues the road will be at risk in fewer than 7 years.
Councillor Price has said if the Council leaves Military Road to fail while further debate continues, it will end up being closed and the council has a duty to protect it. He has said he does not feel another option for saving the road is likely to come forward.
Local ward councillor, Nick Stuart, has said the community cannot believe the iconic asset could be left to vanish but says the proposed scheme between Brook and Hanover Point would cause major damage to the geology, scenery, botany and wildlife.
Councillor Phil Jordan, Cabinet member for highways and infrastructure and leader of the Isle of Wight Council, has said:
“The planning committee’s decision to refuse the planning application for stabilisation works to the Military Road considered the economic, social and environmental benefits and harm of the proposal.
“The natural beauty of the West Wight landscape is acknowledged as of national importance through a multiplicity of designations, including being an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and part of the wider UNESCO Isle of Wight Biosphere Reserve.
“The plans considered by the planning committee were deemed to likely damage these internationally and nationally designated sites, not only harming delicate eco-systems and habitats, but the very essence of what makes this road so special — its scenic beauty.
“The council will continue to explore potential solutions to preserve and protect this important route, and to secure all the necessary consents in a highly protected and geologically sensitive landscape and that can be implemented as quickly as possible.
“The road remains open while we continue to work with local communities and landowners to assess alternative options.”
In other words they want to but the land next to the road and bring in a bit a more inland. Well Jerk Jordan does, I doubt he even noticed the “scenic beauty” of the view, a few drinks would of seen to that.
I wish they would refuse to spend millions on the floating bridge
Here is an idea, why not appoint High Point Rendell to sort out a collapsing Road? After all the do have a good track record …Scarborough, Under Cliff Drive……..
They were very popular with certain Councillor from memory?
We need a wall around our island! A wall no keep them out!
“says the proposed scheme between Brook and Hanover Point would cause major damage to the geology, scenery, botany and wildlife.? It was a wall 26m. long – length of two buses only, probably would be part built with Island Stone,how is that going to damage anything,botany? Wildlife?. Medina pool is 25m long. People won’t be going to see view if can’t get there. Land and Sea soon filled with Wind Turbines if Labour get into power anyhow. Geology,well when collapses will be chunks of road stuck in /on cliff making it look ugly .How often do we hear fire appliances having to go from Ventnor to Freshwater, will take them another 20min getting to and using middle Road. If they reroute the road that could be thousands of metres of disturbance.
WHAT A BUNCH OF DICK HEADS!
The Council know that by 2030 the WEF plan is to get
Motorists off the Road.
Apart of course from members of the WEF!
That is correct
Of all the stupid decisions this Council makes this has to be one of the most short sighted, dumbest of the lot. Just one example. They speak of the importance of tourism and encouraging visitors but then reduce access by allowing our main road arteries to close (recently the Undercliff and now, it seems, Milly Road). So many other negatives.
They “worry” about the environment ,natural habitats ,,,,, etc etc what about the appalling action on the land by building houses which the current infrastructure can’t cope with never mind all the disturbance and environmental issues that goes with it.
More Biosphere rubbish! Have they not heard that Rishi has scrapped Net Zero until 2050??
What a complete and utter wanker the council are its ok for them in their rich lives they live payed for by us twats each year ..a few grand to shore up the road and they say f..it let it go..bastds all of them money for them somewhere ..not for the rest of the island..
But they will spend 1 million on a web page and probably a couple of thousand on a new council logo and about 4 million on the floating bridge
The council had spend 7.7 million on the floating bridge that was reported in 2020 so how much in total to this date?
Another nail in the tourism coffin. People come here to experience this road.
When will this complete bell-endery stop? The council is a ship of fools determined wreck itself upon the rocks of short sightedness.
What’s worse – disturbing the natural habitat for a while or watching it disappear altogether?
Nice chemtrails again.
Just proves that most Island councillors haven’t got a Braincell between them
I have no opinion as to the merits or otherwise of this scheme, what I do know is the considered option of the council is for managed decline which will bring problems their puny minds cannot yet envisage, the sea eventually will break through by undersocring and will not stop at the road,erosiion will move left and right of the known weakness gathering strength as it goes.Military road will cease to exist as we know it,your so precious nature habitats will cease to exist.At the moment we have a rectifiable issue, leave it five years and the problem will have no resolution.
This road is so important to the island I can’t believe the stupidity of these people, if you can’t use the road you can’t see the fauna
Just move the bloody road! And do it again in a few years. What is all the fuss?
Simple answer, some large rocks on the beach to break the waves.
I like thousands of other Island residents have used the Military Road thousands of times and I have voted Conservative many times, but this is very important to me and i think that a solution to either protect, rebuild or move the Military Road is vital. I for one will not be voting Conservative this time if they CHOOSE to let it disappear permanently! To the councilors reading this, take me seriously at your cost.
My word.Still buying into that box ticking farrago where you elect which cheek of the same derriere,gets to fulfill the bigger-ticket agendas (wars,HS2,untramelled immigration etc) of whoever is paying its wefminster puppets the most generous bounties to facilitate said agendas? Most are now thankfully awake to this century long pantomime they’ve had in play but clearly not all ?
How can i find out who the idiot so-called councillors who voted this down i have all ways voted Conservative not anymore they don’t care about the island as long as they get there high salaries they won’t be retiring here
Vital to who? It’s only a road hardly the end of the world.
So scheme to stabilise 26m of vital IOW road infrastructure – not acceptable.
Atherfield Holiday Camp development with planning breaches – perfectly acceptable.
Wow not a single positive comment here. Really shows the attitude of all the old people on this island. Never happy about anything. If they’d decided to build the wall I’m sure you’d all find an issue with that as well. Get a life and stop complaining for once.
What’s the point in an area of outstanding beauty etc if it’s going to be allowed to fall into the sea …road closed so no one can get to it and if they go on foot will no doubt be cordoned off for safety …am I being dense build a wall then make up ground to hide wall and plant it with grass etc to hide said ugly wall
How can they not move the road this council are pathetic that is 1 of the best scenic drives on the isle. Of wight and a lot of visitors come over to use that beach and drive that route to just let it collapse into the sea is an absolute disgrace someone needs to set a petition up to save the road
“The natural beauty of the West Wight landscape is acknowledged as of national importance through a multiplicity of designations, including being an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and part of the wider UNESCO Isle of Wight Biosphere Reserve”
ok, so let’s take a decision that removes the means by which the outstanding natural beauty can be observed.
Total ball sh-t national trust must own the land so just let it fall in to the sea don’t worry about people enjoying the view what total rubbish unbelievable really
Build a simple bridge over the section thats due to crumble away