Next week’s planning committee will be considering an application for 56 new dwellings on land off Hillway Road and Steyne Road, Bembridge.
This greenfield site is one of those earmarked for development in the draft Island Planning strategy (DIPS). However the DIPS was rejected at an Isle of Wight council meeting last October, 18 votes to 16, and is now on pause until new Government planning framework legislation is introduced.
Strong local opposition
The application, which has attracted strong opposition from local residents and politicians, will be considered by the council’s planning committee on Tuesday 13th June from 4pm.
Residents argue that the development will cause damage to the environment and become a “strain on already overloaded infrastructure”.
They say the sewage system in Bembridge is already overloaded and frequently discharges untreated sewage into the Solent from an overflow pipe on the beach by the lifeboat station, “causing significant damage to this, already fragile, specially protected marine ecosystem”.
Expert report submitted to council
Build a Better Bembridge, the residents’ campaign group, say they’ve submitted an expert report to the council, which they say,
“Shows that the development will result in additional untreated sewage discharges with no plans to offset increased nutrients. This is contrary to the Council’s own policies on environment, seascape and biodiversity and undermines our Biosphere status.”
Wood: Affordable housing is what’s needed
Ben Wood of Build a Better Bembridge said,
“This is not NIMBYism. Bembridge is not against development. The need for appropriate development is well recognised in the Bembridge Neighbourhood Development Plan and is supported where it is appropriate, small scale and it must be genuinely affordable for Islanders on Island wages.
“Just yards from the proposed development, 11 affordable units are being built on an old hotel site, four semi detached houses have just been completed on infill sites and the old Bembridge middle school site on the same road was recently redeveloped to provide affordable housing. This is the sort of housing that is needed.”
Robertson: They must address the problems we already have
Councillor Joe Robertson added,
“Bembridge was the subject of a statutory flood investigation published last year because of major flooding causing damage to homes. Steyne Road was one of the worst affected.
“Now there is a proposal to add 56 extra homes on the road, in addition to those already under construction, by building on the only remaining field fronting onto it.
“If people are to believe the council is remotely serious about causes of flooding and damage to people’s homes they must turn this application down and finally address the problems we already have.”
