Michael Lilley shares this press release from Greenfields (IOW) Ltd. In their own words. Ed
Greenfields (IOW) Ltd has filed court action against IW Council again regarding the planning permission to build 472 houses on Westridge farmland now known as West Acre Park.
Residents of Ryde Appley and Elmfield have been objecting to housing being built on agricultural and environmentally important land for over ten years.
This agricultural land and nature corridor has been unchanged for over 1,000 years and is the last farmland and green corridor from the sea to the inner Island, which naturally protects the special protected site of Ryde and Appley Sands.
No other course of action
Greenfields fully endorses much needed housing on the Island, however that housing must be in compliance with the laws of England and Wales and deciding upon the principles of fairness; it was their right for their material objections to be fairly heard and call-out this planning decision.
They felt they had no other course of action to seek justice through the Judicial Review process.
They first took their case to court in 2023, lost in the High Court in 2024, and won on appeal in 2025. The original planning permission was quashed.
Permission approved
On the 30th September 2025, the planning committee again approved the planning permission and consent was issued on 22nd December 2025.
Residents say many valid questions such as sewage and road infrastructure have not been adequately addressed.
Latest legal challenge
Greenfields (IOW) Ltd (a company established to take legal action by residents) has now filed to the court again claiming in court that the latest planning permission and consent were unlawful.
The focus as previously is on the lack of road infrastructure and the lack of funds to complete the work needed.
Lilley: Major concerns
Councillor Michael Lilley (Ryde Appley and Elmfield)
“There have always been major concerns with the lack of road infrastructure with the West Acre Park application. I highlighted this to the planning committee at the meeting on 30th September. I highlighted Ryde Town Council’s consistent objection along with local residents to the application and RTC stated in the planning officer’s report that ‘there is no coordinated highway plan to accommodate all the proposed developments which are coming forward in the immediate area and the financial contribution for the site may not be enough to achieve the substantial improvements that are required‘.
“This was an understatement. One of the outcomes of the Judicial Review Appeal in April 2025, was there was a clear dispute between IW Council Highways and IW Planning on this issue. As there is no agreed Road/Highways plan or infrastructure for the area, there has been no actual full costing of the highways that are needed.
“The mitigation funding in the report to the planning committee was minimal compared to the reality of millions needed. The IW Council has in my view simply ignored this fact! The Appeal Court Judges stated that there had to be a balance between the residents/community and the local authority and developers and this was not there in this case and sadly this imbalance continues.”
Lilley: Housing is needed but development has to have road and sewage infrastructure in place
Councillor Lilley went on to say,
“You have a major housing development which would be the largest such development on the whole Island in an area of increasing traffic, without a proper road infrastructure planned or the money to pay for it. There is also the hidden unanswered question that Southern Water have demanded a completely new sewage pipe being built from the site to Appley pumping station. There are no plans for this or any costs and details of who would pay.
“IW Council has spent to date fighting the Ryde Appley and Elmfield residents to the admitted tune of £150,000 excluding officer time (a case they lost), and now plan to spend further taxpayers money to defend a case due to continued flaws in the process.
“This is simply unacceptable. Housing is needed but a development has to have the road and sewage infrastructure in place and that is what residents are rightly and bravely challenging.
“They should not have to go to court to get justice and be heard.”
Isle of Wight Council confirmed to OnTheWight that they had received notification from Greenfields (IOW) Ltd on Tuesday that a claim has been made against the Council. It will now need to carefully consider the claim and what its response will be.
OnThe Wight asked:
How does the council respond to those concerns, and can it confirm what infrastructure works are secured and funded as part of the development?
A spokesperson for the council said,
“The Officers’ Report to the Planning Committee explains how the development would impact on road and sewage infrastructure and why officers, along with the relevant statutory consultees, considered those impacts in conjunction with appropriate mitigation were acceptable.
“The report, along with the signed S106 agreement, are available on the Council’s website.”
Article edit
4.30pm 12th Feb 2026 – Response from IWC added
