A motion to recall the West Acre Park planning application back to Planning Committee has been tabled for next week’s meeting.
Although the permission was granted for the 472-house development on the land of Westridge Farm at the 27th July 2021 Planning Committee, formal permission has still not been issued. This delay is quite normal for applications of this size, as negotiations take place between the developer and the Planning Officers.
Halt formal permission being issued
Cllr Chris Jarman (Alliance) tabled the motion, which asks the Officers to refrain from issuing the formal permission, and instead to prepare a report on up-to-date matters which will be identified by a Planning Protocols Working Group.
Once that has happened, he asks for the application to be reconsidered by the Planning Committee.
Lilley: If not brought back, will support residents and Judicial Review
Cllr Michael Lilley has said that if the motion fails and the application is not brought back to Committee and consent is given, he will support residents in going to Judicial Review, “as I have a clear mandate and there is a clear case”.
He said,
“Whether you are for or against housing or whether there is a clear need for housing or want greenfield sites such as Westridge Farm to remain Greenfields, are now to me not the issues.
“It is the fact the decision-making and planning process had errors and were wrong.
“I believe the whole process was ethically, legally, and morally wrong and wrongs do not make a right. My ward and I want justice and a fair process. I have a clear mandate and a clear case.
“IW Council needs to admit they have got it wrong, not residents, the tenant farmers or the developers, I believe the Council messed up. I ask members of the planning committee next Tuesday to vote for the WAP application to be recalled as a matter of justice.”
Lilley: Will stand down and leave the Council Chamber
At the July 2021 meeting, Vice Chairman, Cllr Geoff Brodie, chaired the committee meeting, after Cllr Lilley chose to step down to avoid any conflict of interest.
Cllr Lilley says during the motion’s debate on Tuesday 1st March he will leave the chamber,
“As Chair of Planning Committee, I will be standing down and leaving the Council Chamber when the motion is debated and voted on as I have always respected that my position in supporting my residents is a clear conflict of interest in this regard. I do not wish to influence or detract from the law and protocol in any way.
“I believe in the law, Justice and fair process. I want to just see justice for my residents and a fair ‘hearing and committee meeting’ which was not the case on the 27th July 2021 as my residents’ lawyers have eloquently put forward.”
The motion
The motions in full reads (take a deep breath):
That, in respect of planning application 20/01061/FUL concerning ‘West Acre Park’, the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure shall refrain from exercising his delegated authority to issue the formal planning decision in pursuance of the Planning Committee’s resolution at its July 2021 meeting and that the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure shall prepare and present a further report to the Planning Committee to update members on up-to-date matters to be identified by the Planning Protocols Working Group (including on the section 106 obligations) and for the Planning Committee to reconsider that planning application at a meeting (the format of which shall be determined by the Strategic Manager for Planning and Infrastructure and the Planning Protocols Working Group) as soon as is practicable.
Previous motion
At January 2022’s Planning Committee, Cllr Claire Critchison was due to present a motion calling for West Acre Park planning application to be brought before the Committee in light of the recent findings.
However, due to the unexpected and heartfelt statement from the Holliday family at Westridge Farm the day before , Cllr Critchison withdrew the application, telling News OnTheWight ,
“In light of recent information, in all good conscience I couldn’t go forward with it at this time.
“The Holliday’s welfare is quite high on my agenda. Without speaking to the directly, at this stage I felt it was not appropriate.”
Where and when
The Planning Committee takes place from 4pm on Tuesday 1st March 2022 at County Hall.
