Despite residents in the landlocked properties on Undercliff Drive telling OnTheWight they feel as though they’ve been kept in the dark about plans over the past months, assurances have been forthcoming from the Isle of Wight council (IWC) Executive member that much has been going on behind the scenes.
A quick recap
The residents were evacuated from their homes in February 2014 after a major landslip, where works by Island Roads was taking place, occurred either side of their properties, stranding them and putting a halt to through traffic on Undercliff Drive.
Several months passed before agreement was given by the Isle of Wight council to release up to £500,000 to address the situation, but due to delays, work was not able to start before the wet winter season.
Temporary road or permanent road?
Concerns have been raised in the last couple of weeks after leader of the council, Cllr Jonathan Bacon, spoke to one of the residents about the new ‘permanent road’ being built from the West.
Residents had always been under the impression the plans agreed by the council were for a ‘temporary low cost limited access road’. Indeed all the paperwork produced by the council referred to the plans as this.
So it’s not surprising that when news of a ‘permanent road’ was mentioned, some felt this meant the longer-term idea of possibly (funding permitting) reinstating a through road would never be revisited.
Assurances from Executive member
Cllr Phil Jordan, the Executive member responsible, has given OnTheWight assurances that plans to rebuild the landslipped road from the West are progressing as fast as possible and it’s hoped work will start “at the earliest possibility”.
He was keen to stress that although the wording around rebuilding the road from the West may have changed from ‘temporary low cost limited access road’ to ‘permanent road’, this did not mean that longer-term through-road plans had been scrapped.
He said,
“We continue to explore all avenues for funding opportunities to address the possibility of a complete road re-opening and that may include exploring European funding opportunities also.
“None of that exploratory funding work will affect the immediate plans to complete the scheme as described and we will ensure that scheme is undertaken at the earliest possibility.”
Next stage
Cllr Jordan confirmed the scheme has been worked upon for many months and the council are at a point where the outline scheme and outline costs have been presented to him and agreed in principal. This, he said, would now trigger a number of actions.
He said,
“The first is, direct contact with Cllrs Stubbings and Stewart (as local Councillors) and then, or as well as, direct contact with residents.
“In the meantime, we are now asking for exact costing to the preferred option for the scheme – which Island Roads will be tasked with providing. The outline/initial costing – without detail – suggests the costs coming in under the £500,000 that was set aside by Executive last year.”
Why no tender?
Gary Smedmore, of Undercliff Drive Caravan Park, said he felt the job should go out to tender rather than be given directly to Island Roads.
He said,
“In my opinion as the new road construction is not covered under the PFI it should be put out to tender. The council have a duty to get the best price for the residents.
“In our view, the residents don’t have any faith in Island Roads actually having the capability to carry out the work.”
The outline scheme
For clarity, Cllr Jordan confirmed the works and scheme will return a permanent roadway up to the turning points either side of the main slipped area, a turning point either end, access to properties from the West.
A complete pedestrian access path/cycle/horse route will be made right through the entire slipped area, opening it up to through-access on foot.
Issues with Wildlife Trust
Cllr Jordan went on to explain that difficulties obtaining permission from The Wildlife Trust, in order to have space for the turning area at the correct points, had delayed progress.
He said negotiations were still ongoing, but was confident the council can obtain that land as it currently stands.
It’s hoped the scheme will be worked on from late-spring and finished by the end of summer 2015.
For the sake of the residents in the landlocked properties who have been going through what has been described as “a living hell” for the last year, we hope things get moving as fast as possible.
