Councillors in East Cowes have started a campaign to ‘Save our Seafront’ amid plans to introduce an access road to Norris Castle from the esplanade.
Town councillors, Jane Rann and Margaret Webster, have taken an advert in the town’s local magazine raising their concerns about the plans.
They claim the plans to create an access road from the esplanade will create extra traffic along the seafront and bring with it safety issues for children accessing the play park and paddling pool. They are calling on residents to attend as many public meetings as possible and “use your voice” to object to the proposed access road.
View the plans this week
Plans for the development of Norris Castle, are due to go live in March.
Developers have in the meantime, organised a public information day – being held on Thursday 1st March (between 2-8pm at East Cowes Town Hall).
The Isle of Wight councillor for the town, Karl Love is among those urging residents to attend and inform themselves on the plans.
Land has “highest grading and protection anywhere in the UK”
Cllr Love told OnTheWight,
“Saving Norris Castle is very important. It’s not about to fall down the hill into the sea, however, I am very concerned.
“I would accept some minor building on these Grade 1 listed lands, but these proposals go way beyond that and these lands have the highest grading and protection anywhere in the UK. The grounds of Norris have more protection afforded to them than Osborne House and building on them would be unthinkable!
“Spring Hill should not be sacrificed to save Norris and I have expressed my feelings on this. These are commercial developers and the bottom line is about their investment and profits.”
Love: Once landscape changed “it is changed forever”
He went on to say,
“May I ask our Island Community to attend the consultation, form your own opinions and make your own comments.
“We All need to consider the environment, historical value, future risks to change of use, revenue potential, access and construction. Please think about the bigger picture and not just about any local construction issues.
“Once this landscape is changed it is changed forever and there could be other uses for the land other than housing.”
East Cowes a “historically important world heritage site”
Cllr Love finished by saying,
“I have said it many times, East Cowes is an historically important world heritage site and this is what we should be striving to achieve and protect.
“The open countryside, its wild life and outstanding international history should be protected.
“It’s a landscape of world class Heritage and it has a great future If we protect it and make a proper investment into it. In my view that does not include housing of any kind.”
Image: Mark Pilbeam under CC BY 2.0
