Bembridge Harbour Trust (BHT) yesterday (Wednesday) served notice of the intention to judicial review on the Isle of Wight council following granting of planning permission for a 13-house development and replacement harbour facilities on operational harbour land.
News OnTheWight contacted Malcolm Thorpe, from Bembridge Harbour Authority, Bembridge Boat Storage Ltd and Bembridge Investments Ltd who put forward the plans for his response to the action. He told us,
“In 2011 BHT failed to purchase the Harbour and businesses when it was offered in a formal tender.
“Our planning application is legal and valid and has been approved at two separate planning committees.”
Benefit to the harbour
Bembridge Harbour Trust, a charity dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of Bembridge Harbour, argues that the proposed development, granted permission under Enabling Development planning provisions (ie. where a public benefit can only be achieved by overriding normal planning policy) delivers “no such benefit to its claimed beneficiary”.
Mr Thorpe responded by saying,
“The planning approval and planning agreement has been agreed with the IWC retained barrister as it creates substantial genuine benefits to the Harbour and the community.“
Thorpe: “Another attempt to gain control of the Harbour”
The Trust say that without this action the harbour is likely to fail as a viable port within a decade or so. Mr Thorpe told News OnTheWight he believes the action is an attempt by the BHT to gain control of the harbour.
He said,
“It is important to remember BHT’s Principal Aim is ‘The Trust was set up as a means of delivering the Harbour into community led control and ownership in perpetuity’.
“Hence these present actions by BHT are purely another attempt to gain control of the Harbour by whatever means they can whilst also attempting to police BHIC’s activities, yet do not have any legal rights and status within BHT’s constitution for such measures.”
Image: simonhaytack under CC BY 2.0
