A formal complaint has been filed over how plans for up to 50 houses on a greenfield site have been dealt with by the Isle of Wight Council.
Nettlestone and Seaview Parish Council (NSPC) has cited “procedural irregularities” relating to County Hall’s handling of RJB SIBA Trust’s outline housing proposal for land north of Woodland Close, Puckpool Hill.
The controversial plans also include a new access off Puckpool Hill, public open space and landscaping.
County councillors voted through the application in June 2022 but a decision notice confirming permission was not issued until 15th September this year, following legal negotiations.
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said it would be “inappropriate” to comment while the authority considers the concerns raised.
Request to reconsider application
NSPC’s complaint letter requests the planning committee reconsider the application.
It also asks for early intervention to help resolve issues without the need for formal legal proceedings – highlighting the six-week High Court Judicial Review deadline expiring on 27th October 2026.
Planning changes since 2022
The document cites several examples of “procedural maladministration”.
These include failure to account for material planning changes between 2022 and 2026, traffic-calming conditions agreed by the planning committee seemingly missing from official minutes and the final decision notice, a lack of updated consultations and deferring critical technical matters such as flood risk and junction geometry.
Planning changes highlighted in the letter include the new Island Planning Strategy being adopted in September this year and the legal requirement for ten per cent biodiversity net gain.
Resident backs complaint
Local resident Thomas Langshaw said,
“Living zero metres from Harcourt Sands, four metres from Puckpool playing fields, and 200 metres from West Acre, I fully endorse the parish council’s complaint.
“Issuing permission after four dormant years without re-consultation breaches the Kides principle and omits vital traffic conditions.”
Under the Kides principle in planning law, a council must take into account material changes between agreeing to approve a planning application and issuing a decision notice.
Critics of the Puckpool scheme previously pointed to problems relating to road safety, wildlife impacts, overdevelopment of the site and urbanisation.
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
