Safety Fears See Island Roads Challenge New Horsebridge Hill Housing Bid

A new housing proposal next to Horsebridge Hill is facing opposition from Isle of Wight highways service provider Island Roads.

Captiva’s latest planning application for land at Acorn Farm has been criticised as failing to provide a ‘safe built environment’ due to visibility concerns.

The developer proposed 32 houses, a means of access, landscaping, and ancillary infrastructure.

In addition, a draft Section 106 agreement published on the Isle of Wight Council’s planning portal includes schedules on affordable housing, habitats mitigation relating to the Solent Special Protection Areas and biodiversity offsetting.

Section 106 agreements are legal contracts between a developer and a local planning authority, entered to mitigate the effects of developments and make them acceptable in planning terms.

Island Roads’s November 19 report objected to Captiva’s bid.

It said:

“Due to the restricted visibility associated with all of the residential parking areas on the western wide of the development, the proposal will not provide a safe built environment.

“More favourable consideration may be given if a 2m wide service strip or footway was provided on the western side of the street.”

Captiva’s plans extend from the phase one site currently under construction, according to E3S Consulting.

During the summer, Horsebridge Hill was subject to a one-way system because of works relating to the Island’s largest affordable housing development in a decade from Captiva Homes and Sovereign Network Group at Acorn Farm.

Captiva’s latest proposal includes 20 houses classed as market housing, nine as social, affordable or intermediate rent and a further three designated as affordable home ownership, according to the developer’s application form.

Of the market housing, nine are two bedroomed, another nine have three bedrooms and two have four bedrooms or more.

Five of the social, affordable or intermediate rent homes are two bedroomed, three have three bedrooms and one is with four or more bedrooms.

There is one affordable home ownership property with two bedrooms and another two are three bedroomed.

County Hall’s public consultation on application 25/01556/FUL ends on December 12 and a decision is expected on February 6.