The development of a holiday camp on the Military Road, which has caused local outrage due to unauthorised changes, has got the thumbs up from council officers.
Isle of Wight Council planning officers recommended the minor amendments application for the former Atherfield Bay Holiday Camp be given conditional permission, subject to a legal agreement.
It will see work on the site in Brighstone, which is already started but yet to be completed, approved if the planning committee follows officers advice.
The application seeks revisions to the previously approved scheme including changes to the units, layout and clubhouse. But objectors say it is an inappropriate overdevelopment of the scheme, potentially a third larger than approved.
Brighstone and Shorwell parish councils have raised objections along with 15 others, saying the increase in the scale and height of the units, density development and clubhouse would cause serious harm to the landscape and protected coastline.
None of the internal or external consultees of the council, including Natural England, the Environment Agency or the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, have objected.
In their deliberation, officers say the application only seeks relatively minor changes to the original application and the revised scheme would result in a better tourism provision than before, with higher quality units.
Officers do acknowledge there have been changes, however, and ‘cannot condone’ them, but due to the site being in a bowl in the landscape, consider the visual impact to be an acceptable level. They also point out some of the amended holiday units would not be higher than approved, but lower, due to different construction.
Overall, officers say they consider the changes would not harm the character and appearance of the surrounding area, among other items, and the application still complies with Island planning policies.
They do, however, suggest a condition imposed to mitigate the increased level of windows in the project, which may have a negative impact on the dark skies in the area, and a change in the legal agreement to provide £20,000 towards the surrounding public rights of way.
The scheme’s developer, Alan Dugard of Interguide IOW, has stated previously they had done nothing wrong and the allegations of planning permission breaches were speculation.
Shocking density, I hope the Building Inspector checks build quality carefully from the photos I have been shared with. Should have never been allowed on this remote spot of the AONB. What a blight, we won’t forget.
They look like over priced sheds to me.
A blot on the beautiful landscape
Classic procedure followed by developers, get the initial planning permission and then start chipping away at the limitations and restrictions.
You are right but he is not even ‘chipping away’ he has gone full pelt to do what he wants. I read the clubhouse is not supposed to be built above foundation level until approved but i drove past today and the massive clubhouse was all up and being tiled lol. Its obviously all about money and not what you know its who you know. Shame certain bodies are not fit for purpose and not doing what we pay them to do.
Bye bye isle of wight hello suburbia. Money talks, and has a listening ear with the island council, no matter what flag they sail under.
Surprising what large brown envelopes will do !!!
I wonder just what has been promised to the council by this developer to get the go ahead after so many objections were lodged.Are these really going to benefit the island economy, l don’t think so, they will put more strain on our already struggling infrastructure.