Back in May, OnTheWight reported on the planning refusal by the Isle of Wight Planning Committee of an application to build 40 new dwellings on the edge of the Arreton village.
This was a revised application that originally sought permission for 89 dwellings, but that was also rejected by the Isle of Wight council in September 2013.
Residents get busy
Richard Hayden, an Arreton resident who previously called for opposition support from Islanders, has been in touch to let us know that a group of Arreton Residents have decided to conduct their own Housing Needs Survey for the whole of Arreton Parish, which includes Blackwater and Merstone.
He says,
“Residents have been asking the Parish Council to carry out a Housing Needs Survey for the past 17 months. With packed public meetings when these planning applications have been discussed, the Parish Council still have not done one.
“The Parish Council was criticised at the Planning Committee meeting on April 29th by County Councillor Reg Barry. Councillor Barry asked the Chairman of Arreton Parish Council, who was objecting to the proposed application, why he was doubting the Applicants Housing Needs Survey, when the Parish Council had failed to do one in the 16 months since the Application.
“The Housing Needs Surveys will be hand delivered and collected over the next week by this Residents Group to every household in the Parish.”
Backed by the planning committee
We’re told the residents have the full backing and support to successfully carry out the survey from the Planning Department, who will then analyse the results.
Richard goes on to say,
“The Residents’ Group are hoping the results will give the three small villages some protection against inappropriate planning applications and over-development of the Island’s rural villages.
“An appeal has also been lodged against the decision by the Planning Committee to refuse the second application for 40 houses on the same site.”
The joint appeal hearing is set to be heard on 12th August, comments on this must be made to the Inspectorate before 22nd July.
Image: © Richard Hayden
