We were really shocked to hear this morning, that the Planning Committee yesterday decided to refuse an application by the owners of Vintage Vacations (a couple responsible for masses of very positive free publicity for the Isle of Wight in the press) for a permanent site in Hillis Gate Road, Northwood. Helen Cunningham exclusively gives us below her response to the outcome. Ed
After a four year search and six alternative sites having been discussed at the planning office, our planning application for a seasonal site for ten of our Vintage Airstream caravans was refused at yesterday’s planning committee meeting.
One goes into a planning application knowing that there may be various scenarios at the end of it. What isn’t to be expected, is that despite our plans carefully addressing all relevant issues, officers recommendation for approval and comment from the planning policy team stating that a scheme such as ours is appropriate for, and to be encouraged on the Hillis Gate site, points raised for discussion by those committee members that bothered to comment, ranged from laughably lame to shocking attempts to undermine the facts in our professional reports.
Councillor Mosdell was warned by the chairman not to overstep the mark with some of his misjudged comments.
Cllr Cunningham recommended approval but was not seconded.
Despite the braying mob in the public gallery it was still possible to hear the sound of goalposts being moved as committee members struggled to find a satisfactory reason for a refusal decision.
The final grounds for refusal, as reported by the CP today, were that the plan would ‘have a detrimental impact on quality of life in a rural area’ – a catch-all for pure NIMBY-ism.
We have (I hope) maintained our dignity and refrained from getting into a tit-for-tat situation with objectors, despite nasty personal attacks on our integrity. The campaign against us was heavily agitated and lately included derogatory posters featuring a picture of one of our trailers with words to the effect of ‘we don’t want these on the Isle of Wight’ being posted around Parkhurst Forest.
Cllr Mazillius was very self-congratulatory after the hearing.
I wonder if his adoring public are aware that he failed to acknowledge or answer repeated emails and a letter from us offering to come and present our ideas to the local community. The Chamber of Commerce also re-sent my original correspondence along with the offer of hosting such a meeting. I would like to know why he undemocratically chose to ignore these offers? It would have been a great opportunity to show residents how stylish and low key our holiday offer really is.
We read weekly on the front page of the CP that IOW tourism is in peril.
Cllrs recommendations? Advertise “¦ eventually. An unprecedented amount of high end press coverage for Vintage Vacations both here and abroad has saved them a few thousand pounds on that score.
The toe-curling ‘smile at a tourist’ suggestion from Cllr George Brown? Mr Brown – you might try smiling at those wanting to invest in tourism instead of turning your back.
This decision sends out a clear message to anyone thinking of investing in innovative tourism on the Isle of Wight. Don’t bother slapping your wallet on the table – chummily slap the back of a councillor instead.
No thanks.
We will wait to receive the formal decision notice, take the appropriate advice and most likely appeal.
What we simply can’t do is spend another four years looking for another site .. only to face the same NIMBY objections.
We will be looking at re-location, which is disappointing after investing so much, on a personal and business level here on the island.
Helen Cunningham
