Next week sees the Isle of Wight council planning committee consider an application for a replacement access road on Undercliff Drive.
As previously reported, following the February 2014 dramatic landslide on Undercliff Drive where works were being carried out by Island Roads, the Executive committee had, by September that year, approved a budget of up to £500,000 to reinstate vehicle access from the west of the landlocked properties.
Nearly two years later and the residents are still waiting for that vehicle access to their properties. A planning application to realign the road (ie. move it inland slightly) and install two turning heads at either end of the site is working its way through the planning process and looks set to be approved next week.
Turning heads already constructed
With a view to having access from the west back in use for residents by the end of September, Island Roads commenced work on the site several weeks ago and the two turning heads, we’re told by residents, are almost completed.
The question of whether that work could start before planning permission had been granted was raised by one of the Undercliff drive residents.
A spokesperson for Isle of Wight council told OnTheWight,
“Both turning heads are permitted development. The eastern turning head is being built on council-owned land, abutting the highway.
“The western turning head was built on land ‘without owner’ and following the appropriate advertising process, the western head was constructed. Both turning heads abut the highway and are therefore permitted development.”
Barriers moved
In mid-June the barriers blocking public access to the landlocked area on the western end of the site were moved some 30-40 feet closer to the site.
Residents in the landlocked properties had to park their cars (as they don’t have permission to drive on the re-patched road to access their properties) and store their wheelie bins just inside the hoarding.
A spokesperson for Isle of Wight council told OnTheWight,
“The hoarding was moved by Island Roads following discussions with the council, to enable the road to be used appropriately; enabling use of the constructed turning head and to avoid vehicles undertaking multi-point turns in the narrower section of road.”
Unsafe turning heads?
Gary Smedmore, who owns the Undercliff Glen Caravan Park, argues that the western turning head is unsafe for use, with an insufficient line of sight for oncoming vehicles.
He’s had to report a near-miss accident to police when a vehicle racing down the road nearly collided with him – narrowly avoiding crushing him in between two cars.
He’s written to Wendy Perera, head of planning, stating,
“The turning area was not ready to be used. It has been constructed 75mm higher than the road to allow for new tarmac over existing road surface.
“The turning area is full of holes, uneven and built in the wrong place.”
There are also question marks over the use of the section of road by the western turning head due to the official road closure order.
A spokesperson told OnTheWight,
“We are currently investigating the impacts on the road closure order.”
Planning consideration
The application had received several objections in relation to public access.
As pointed out by OnTheWight in May, concerns had been raised that the pedestrian, cycle and bridle access through the site was going to be blocked.
It was confirmed by the planning department there will be locked gates for cars, but an unlocked footpath gate at each end for other access.
The planning application, which officers are recommending conditional permission for, will be heard on Tuesday 9th August from 4pm at County Hall.
OnTheWight has published extensively on the Undercliff Drive landslide saga with over 120 articles to date.
Full details can be found in the paper below. Page down to the second item to see the officer’s report. Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
Paper B[1] by ventnorblog on Scribd
