Locals have their say on Camp Road planning applications

Freshwater residents packed the parish hall to discuss the latest planning application to build 127 houses on a greenfield site in Camp Road.

Locals have campaigned for years to stop the many applications for the greenfield site, with objections from Island Roads due to safety issues. Among those attending Saturday’s meeting were Island MP, Bob Seely, IW councillors, Peter Spink and Chris Jarman, as well as Freshwater parish councillors, members of the Sustainable Freshwater group, and various local resident associations.

Cllr Jarman said: “Residents were told of the existing challenges in the area regarding flooding, particularly from building on the proposed field and along Camp Road. There are also the problems of sewage overflows in the area where the infrastructure is completely insufficient.

“Further details were provided to show the site is 23 miles away from the Island’s waste processing plant in Sandown, with the sewage route passing through a number of pumping stations which themselves are unable to cope when there is even modest rainfall. Every new house adds to the resulting spews of sewage overflows into the protected sites along the River (western) Yar and at Norton.

“Locals agreed that there was a parish need for homes affordable to rent by local people, at, or below, the housing benefit levels, but that this proposed development would not provide any.

“At the end there was a 100 per cent agreement in terms of objecting to the proposals under safety concerns, and the fact that it’s a narrow road and completely unsuitable for this kind of development, especially with safety issues concerning children, cyclists and the many horses who are ridden in the area.”