Around 50 Cowes residents angrily protested against plans to close the Mornington Road car park for a six-month drone trial on Tuesday.

The car park is due to close on Wednesday (August 7), with operator Inteliports using the project to create a drone corridor to Fawley on the mainland, with the aim of improving the ability to provide quick delivery of goods and medicines.

Local resident, Gilly Hall, who lives on Cliff Road, next to the car park, said: “Lots of people turned up to demonstrate and holidaymakers were horrified when we told them about the large, two-metre drone flying over the Green and the seashore.

“We are contacting the Police & Crime Commissioner and the Civil Aviation Authority for their comments as we want to establish if the drone company has all the proper insurance, drone pilot training and licensing in place to fly so very close to residential buildings and public spaces

“The ecology report wasn’t even invoiced to the council and you may want to check with Ian Boyd of Arc Consulting if he even visited the site; I don’t believe he did and that’s why it wasn’t invoiced. The area is full of wildlife such as red squirrels, foxes, bats and song thrushes.

“I have an email from Richard Quigley, now IW West MP, from back in May, saying ‘I must admit, I find the whole thing a bit bonkers’.”

Cowes town counsellor David Walters, whose ward includes the car park, claims he was only recently informed of the project.

He said: “I only found out on July 18 when I received the same letter as other local residents. It hasn’t come up at any of our planning meetings and there has been no consultation.”

Maggie Ankers, who owns the Villa Rothsay in Baring Road, added: “It’s ridiculous. There is a village green behind the car park, but we won’t have anywhere to park. It’s the only green space between the Royal Yacht Squadron and Egypt Hill.

“I don’t think the IW Council have thought it through.”

A spokesman for the IW Council said that there had not been space at the initial consultation to invite residents but that the Cowes Town Council had been invited and sent representatives, adding that there is now ongoing consultation and adjustments would be made where possible.”

He added that the car park sees “very limited use” which was a factor in the decision to grant a license to Inteliports and that ecologists had “been engaged on this matter” but had identified no significant issues.

He said: “Inteliports have already conducted several trials with other organisations and this is the next step in developing the technology. The company follows strict CAA guidelines ensuring they operate in a safe and compliant way.”