Neighbours to Christ the King College in Wellington Road, Newport are calling on their Isle of Wight Councillor, Chris Whitehouse (pictured), to start representing their concerns about the further over-development of the school’s small site.
A retrospective planning application for seven portakabin classrooms – installed last week, before the application was submitted – has lead local residents to say “enough is enough”.
Pleading with Cllr Whitehouse
Local resident of Kinchington Road and Newport parish councillor Tony Coburn said,
“The school sites on Wellington Road have become increasingly overdeveloped in recent years, but our local IW Councillor has indicated to me he will allow this latest one through without referral to the Planning Committee using the local member delegated procedure.
“I have submitted to Planning Services a 68-signature petition against this application citing relevant material planning objections.
“I am pleading with Cllr Whitehouse to take these objections on board and to refer the application to the full Planning Committee where the continuing over-development of these sites can be properly considered on a democratic basis.
“Cllr Whitehouse’s close association with the school leads local people to wonder about his impartiality.”
Detailed objection by parish council
Mr Coburn also confirmed that Newport Parish Council have also submitted a detailed objection to this application due to “inappropriate unplanned development adversely impacting local visual amenity as well as exacerbating existing traffic/parking problems in the vicinity.”
He adds,
“In light of the concerns of local residents our Committee is firmly of the view that the application should not be determined under the delegated procedure and should instead be reported to the Planning Committee.”
Full text of Newport Parish Council objection
P/00713/15…Christ the King College, Wellington Road
Members do not like retrospective applications but appreciate that this is not a criminal offence; it is merely a considered risk on the part of the ‘developer’ and not usually a material consideration.
That said, the present situation with no less than seven additional mobile units (nine further classrooms) in addition to those already on the site is unprecedented and, once again, shows a very unfortunate disregard for the planning process and any impact that the continuing expansion of this school has on the local community.
In terms of the retrospective nature of the submission our Committee believes that, at best, this amounts to poor project management in terms of the timing of the application/early commencement of works and this is unacceptable especially as the acquisition/leasing of these units ‘does not happen overnight’ and, for health and safety reasons, installation was always going to have to happen during school holidays.
Due regard and appropriate weight has to be given to the present situation in terms of the impact on traffic/parking in the locality; the loss of ‘on-site’ parking spaces; the unsightly nature of this type of (temporary) development, that from experience has a tendency to become long term or even semi-permanent; and the fact that there is no extant permission in place for a permanent solution or, alternatively, possibly a move to another larger site/building(s).
Despite these problems it is perhaps surprising that the management of the school is not prepared to put any type of ‘hold’ on expansion despite lack of appropriate accommodation and a suitable resolution to the problem in the near future.
Prior to this application, the Parish Council have already asked IWC and Island Roads to investigate the levels of traffic, congestion and parking in the locality and from correspondence there seems to be view that there is a problem and certain matters need to be addressed.
In the circumstances our Members wish to OBJECT to the application on grounds relating to inappropriate unplanned development adversely impacting on local visual amenity as well as exacerbating existing traffic/parking problems in the vicinity.
NB In light of the above comments and the concerns of local residents our Committee is firmly of the view that the application should not be determined under the delegated procedure and should instead be reported to the Planning Committee.
