Was an interesting Town Council Planning meeting last week, with another fun packed one lined up for tonight.
There were only three items discussed at the Planning Committee, but they raised some very interesting debate and the report is well worth a read.
The first item to be discussed was an application on Madeira Road to demolish a Victorian wall and build a detached house with a double garage underneath.
It is proposed to build this house on the site of an established 150 year old garden, with the garage access directly opposite the entrance to the Ventnor Towers Hotel. Those who know the road, will realise that this is also a narrow part of the road on a blind bend. Not the safest place to build a drive/garage – an opinion echoed by many others including the Highways Department on the previous application.
There are many reasons why local residents objected to this application, and Val Taylor, who knows the area well made her views pretty clear.
It is not safe to have a drive opposite a busy hotel entrance.
Jonny Fitzgerald Bond made himself very clear too, stating that he saw nothing wrong with the application and that the so-called Victorian wall was just made of breeze blocks so why shouldn’t it come down to make way for another property development?
Brian Lucas agreed that he saw no reason to object to the application.
When the time came to vote, Maureen Cawley couldn’t vote as she’d declared an interest, Susan Scoccia couldn’t vote because she was on the Planning Committee, Rob Mew arrived late so was not involved.
Val Tayor motioned that the TC refuse the application and this was seconded by Debby Robinson and Steve Milford. JFB voted against refusal as did Brian Lucas. It was refused 3 to 2.
Next up was the application by Cheetah Marine to vary conditions attached to planning permission granted to them last year to build on the Eastern Esplanade car park.
Now this was a very interesting discussion. What was clear was that the only person who seemed to have a grasp of what was being requested in the variation of conditions was Professor Dennis Russell, who sat in the public audience. When confusion started to reign, he was able to hand around printouts to the councillors of what was being proposed.
Val Taylor stated that this had gone on for too long and she would refuse on several grounds. The delay in building had blighted the progress of rebuilding the public toilets by the paddling pool and so Ventnor would for another summer have to put up with the dreadful toilets.
She stated that the harbour masters office had been part of the original deal when CM bid for the land and questioned why Cheetah Marine wanted …
Another bite of the cherry?
Brian Lucas agreed, and stated that due to the uncertainty of the CM build, he’d heard that refilling the paddling pool had been delayed until July!
He went on to say that having looked at the new plans, although there were some improvements to the design, due to a lack of labelling he was concerned and any unscrupulous landlord in the future may use this oversight in a change of use.
Debby Robinson raised the point that the cafe had now become a restaurant – offering very different amenities and prices to users of the paddling pool – very worrying given that the cafe and facilities it would provide to users of the paddling pool was an argument used to help gain permission for the application.
Jonny Fitzgerald Bond stated that the change was simply to delay the building of the storage area and what was wrong with that?
BL raised a good point in that the period of delay had not been stated. Was it to be one month, one year, five years? Would it be something that might never get built?
JFB went on to say that the change to provision of the harbour master’s office was simply to cover Cheetah Marine, should they not win the franchise at a later stage. Val Taylor said …
If they lose the contract, tough! The town was promised a harbour master’s office and that is what it should get, whether it is run by Cheetah Marine or someone else.
Susan Scoccia stated that it was possible that the phrase “in perpetuity” is what is causing the problem. She had requested that this phrase be added after the decision was made at the IWC Planning Committee last year and that it should have been applied simply to ensure that the building remain for marine use only and wasn’t meant to apply to the harbour master’s office, cafe, toilets etc.
Val Taylor was quick to point out that these items were part of the 106 agreement that was negotiated well before SS got involved and that they should remain part of the conditions.
Maureen Cawley asked whether it would be helpful for CM to attend the next meeting to put their points across.
Brian Lucas stated that
he wanted to be able to help a local business, but this was a step too far
He went on to say that there was no point Cheetah Marine attending the meeting if it was just to try and persuade the council to give permission for the changes.
After more discussion and Maureen Cawley asking twice more to invite Cheetah Marine in to talk to the TC,
John Farrant, the town clerk, suggested refusal of the application but would ask Cheetah Marine to attend the next meeting to talk on an informal basis, as they had done on previous occasions.
The application was refused. Jonny Fitzgerald Bond abstained from voting.
Rob Mew then arrived at the meeting.
The final application to be discussed was to demolish a bungalow in Castle Court and replace it with a house. It raised little discussion and was approved.
Debby Robinson asked the clerk whether it would be possible to have any drawings related to planning permission put out before the meeting, to allow councillors to peruse the plans beforehand.
She felt it would speed up the meetings, as currently the drawing are passed around the table and although she viewed the plans before the meeting online, there were some members of the council who did not have Internet access.
John Farrant agreed that plans could be placed on the table beforehand if councillors wanted to view the drawings.
