An Isle of Wight campaign group’s ‘historic’ challenge against a County Hall planning decision will be heard in the second highest court in the land over the next few days.
Greenfields (IOW) Ltd’s bid to stop 473 homes being built on the 200-year-old Westridge Farm in Ryde will be heard at the Court of Appeal in London today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday).
Financed by hundreds of Island residents, Greenfields is appealing Judge Jarman’s dismissal of its case against the Isle of Wight Council in an Administrative Court ruling made in August last year.
In August 2023, council planners gave Westridge Village Ltd conditional permission to develop West Acre Park with 473 homes, 35% of which would be ‘affordable’ according to a County Hall legal agreement with the developer.
In a joint statement, Greenfields and Ryde Appley and Elmfield county councillor Michael Lilley said:
“This case is historic as this is the first time that over 600 Isle of Wight residents have raised the finance to take on the Isle of Wight Council.
“There were originally over 600 resident objections and over 5,000 residents signing a petition against this controversial planning permission.
“It is a landmark and iconic case in that whatever the outcome it will be creating case law and showing ordinary people need to be listened to more fairly in the future and the need for housing is balanced with the need to face the realities of climate change, flooding, reducing traffic, and the needs of nature.
Article continues below this advertisement “Residents have always argued that the site not only did not have proper road infrastructure to sustain development, but the land was the last nature and flood prevention corridor in Ryde and eradicating it was detrimental to the town and the community of Appley and Elmfield.
“Principally, the case was about process and residents have continued to believe the planning process in this case was biased, not fair, and unlawful.”
The Isle of Wight Council and the developer overseeing the West Acre Park project development, Captiva Homes, have been approached for comment.
Good luck with stopping this, but I’m afraid you are up against it now. Piggy eyed Starmer and his sidekicks girl from accounts Reeves and no brainer Raynor are out to prevent this kind of “green” agenda. Raynor wants to allow building on green sites, as does this council, Jerk Jordan is in charge remember. I hope this gets massive planning project gets stopped but I fear that the powers that be will squash it flat. And I bet you will all be labelled “far right” At the end of the day all this council want is more and more cash in council tax to deliver less and fatten there own pension pots.
There are enough empty properties on the island
that could be converted into housing.
There are not that many Island families waiting for
properties, so why build so many homes!
you cannot have green fields under labour,everyone must live surrounded by concrete and dirt, its labour doctrine to only appeal to the lowest common denominator.
What is an “affordable” home?
Affordable homes don’t exist on the island,
you need to move up north for affordable homes.
Captiva Homes have not waited for the outcome of this case as they have already ripped up half of the hedge along Appley Road three days ago
Then tell the council, that is criminal damage. A council or police matter.
Why build extra homes, St Mary’s can’t cope now.