An Isle of Wight couple will not be allowed to live in their holiday home temporarily, until they find permanent accommodation.
Since 2018, the pair have been in breach of planning conditions by living in a property designated as a holiday unit by the Isle of Wight council.
Told to leave the property
In 2023, the couple were served with a six month enforcement order and were told to leave the Appleford Lane property, near Whitwell property by November.
Instead, they asked for the holiday home restrictions to be temporarily lifted – for three years – to give them more time to find somewhere to live.
Letters of support
Nearly 30 letters of support were sent to the Isle of Wight council, calling for the couple to be allowed more time to stay, as well as four objections.
The property and 12 acres of land is on the Isle of Wight housing market, for £800,000.
IWC: Personal circumstances are not relevant
Now, the Isle of Wight council has ruled the house’s owners’ “personal circumstances are not relevant” and “do not justify the temporary loss of holiday accommodation.”
County Hall called the address distinctly rural, “isolated and unsustainable”, situated along a narrow lane without a pavement or street lighting, far from facilities and public transport.
Request undermined by “unreasonably” high sale price
It argued the couple’s request was “significantly undermined” by what it called an “unreasonably” high sale price and questioned whether the property would sell within three years without a reduction in price.
Council officers said temporarily removing the rules around how the holiday home is used would materially undermine the authority’s planning policy to support high-quality tourism accommodation.
Previous requests
In 2021, a request to turn the holiday home into a permanent residence was refused by County Hall.
Last year, in response to the council’s enforcement notice, the government’s Planning Inspectorate said the property would never have won permission to be a permanent dwelling because of its remote location.
The latest decision can be appealed to the Planning Inspectorate.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
