An 11-acre green open space on the Isle of Wight has been approved, along with the potential for more than a hundred houses.
Concerns were raised about the loss of space between Cowes, Gurnard and Northwood, as a result of planned development behind Cockleton Lane, Place Road and Tuttons Hill.
Plans approved
The Isle of Wight council’s planning committee approved the application on Tuesday night, to extend other housing developments in the area, with six members in favour and two against.
Outline permission has been granted for the principle of housing on the site and full permission for the creation of a ‘sustainable alternative natural greenspace’.
Price: Ticks a lot of boxes
Councillor Matt Price said the scheme ticks a lot of boxes and ensures the land will be a community benefit.
He also said it was within the committee’s gift to rubber stamp further details, like the scale and number of houses, at a later date.
The layout and landscaping will also be considered, via a separate planning application.
Price: Island should adopt a a design code
The developer behind the project, Jorden Valley Estates, is also behind the neighbouring scheme on Place Road.
Councillor Price said the houses there were beautiful, adding it looked like they had always been there, and he suggested the Island should adopt a similar style of housing, as a design code.
Councillor Geoff Brodie said the green space – a sustainable alternative natural green space or SANG – would protect the area from becoming joined.
Objection to the plans
Councillor Peter Spink disagreed, and said he did not see how it could be justified to take away agricultural land.
He said local residents had made it clear they did not want the development.
A concern was also raised about a 20-space car park, proposed as part of the SANG, which it was claimed would “urbanise the green space.”
Planning officers said the car park would make it accessible to all and was sited so it would not become overflow for the housing development.
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
