“For years it has haunted Ryde causing widespread dread and anxiety” — objectors speak out as the major Pennyfeathers development hits the brakes again.
Cooke: A never-ending delay
At an Isle of Wight Council planning committee meeting on Tuesday night, Cllr Simon Cooke, representing Ryde Town Council, said it seemed like there was a never-ending delay with the 904-home development and argued the scheme was deeply flawed and outdated, not desirable nor deliverable.
He said,
“There is widespread anger in the community that this awful development has been hanging over our heads for so many years.”
Planning committee ran out of time
The final details of the development could have been given a green light yesterday (Tuesday) by the Isle of Wight council’s planning committee but councillors ran out of time.
The meeting could not go on for longer than four hours.
Cooke: A level of secrecy and uncertainty
Cllr Cooke said there was a level of secrecy and uncertainty around the development, which was entirely unacceptable for a housing scheme of its size, as no one was clear who the people behind the plans were.
The development was submitted to the council by Glen Hepburn, of Hepburns Planning Consultancy, who outlined the benefits of the scheme saying it would provide 300 affordable houses, land for a school and also a £2.3 million contribution to education in the Ryde area, an open country park and improved highway junctions.
Wade: Poorly-designed, mediocre development
Jenny Wade, a Ryde resident, said she wasn’t against housebuilding on the site, but she wasn’t in favour of the poorly-designed, mediocre development which would be built at the expense of its inhabitants and the surrounding area.
She said numerous objections had been raised, but felt none had been taken notice of and it had been nearly nine years since the developer directly engaged with the local community.
Ms Wade said any new housing must be sustainable, well-designed and of the type people need.
Extraordinary meeting planned
It was decided an extraordinary meeting of the planning committee would be held in the coming weeks to determine the Pennyfeathers application.
One councillor said they still had other questions to ask which were relevant to the application and not the outline consent that had been approved seven and a half years ago or the legal agreement.
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
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