Council Grants Contentious 130-Home Bembridge Development Planning Consent

Captiva Homes has been granted planning consent for a contentious 130-home development on the outskirts of an Isle of Wight village.

The developer’s plans for greenfield land off Bembridge’s Mill Road have been approved with 23 conditions and a legal agreement.

County Hall’s decision notice for application 23/01920/FUL comes more than a year after the planning committee voted for the proposal which includes means of access, garages and landscaping.

The committee voted to approve the plans by five votes to three at its July 30, 2024 meeting.

Isle of Wight East MP and Bembridge councillor Joe Robertson was a prominent opponent of the bid and while accepting a need for affordable housing, said the development “does not address that need”.

Captiva Homes CEO Iain Delaney told the meeting there had been lengthy consultation over plans and Bembridge must share responsibility for “accommodating growth”.

The publicly available legal agreement dated October 14 is a planning obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

It relates to highway works, affordable housing, on-site open space, habitats mitigation regarding the Solent Special Protection Areas, a construction vehicle route, financial contributions for local health services and improving the Steyne Park Recreation Ground and council obligations.

The consent’s 23 planning conditions were included for legal and planning policy compliance, the interests of local amenity, ecological and environmental protection, highway safety, heritage mitigation, ensuring the development has a ‘satisfactory’ appearance and is suitably drained, flood and light pollution prevention and protecting the privacy of nearby residents.