Paddling pool, Ventnor Esplanade

[jimbob]

Sorry guys i feel like i am butting in but are they going to do anything about it, i heard that they where possibly putting in a wider walkway around the wall side of the pool?

[simon k]

Doiley: Many thanks for those pictures. Shock, horror was my immediate reaction - the new wall is the opposite side to where I had pictured it in my mind.
THAT wall will block a lot of sun for the pool and just become an eyesore, not so bad if it was at the rear side of the pool. What was wrong with a wrought iron decorative fence at the front edge where the wall is now??
And the new build is ever so close to the pool.
I know it is not finished but very disappointing....

That was my reaction in January after seeing a picture of developments of this wall, a reaction of a regular visitor to the Island and my children have used the paddling pool several times..... Steephill Jack I think you are spot on when you said:

In my opinion, most of the nonsense that happens in Ventnor is due to the County Council being authoritarian, inefficient and ignorant of local issues. It is also too arrogant to bother to ask or consult the local community (VTC and residents) and, when it knows it has made a mistake, its officers will cover it up with beaureaucratic obfuscation.

I personally think a "fancy" and ornate but substancial railings would have been a better choice and would not have enclosed the area so much - and the sun would shine through it. Typical of your council to do this, would anyone really like to be sat near very near that wall looking out to, well nothing just a wall.

[CPRE-IW]

Simonk, what you say is precisely what should have happened.

The relocation of the roadway, and the traffic protection between the roadway and the pool, was part of the Cheetah Marine application which was given planning approval. The approved diagrams clearly showed railings, with a mesh insert to prevent children climbing through. No variation has ever been filed, asking for anything different.

The planning approval for the IW Council, for rebuilding the toilets and refurbishment of the public realm area around the pool, contained a Condition 2 that said that full details of all the layout and planting and materials for the land between the new toilets and the pool area, must be filed with the LPA and approved in writing before any work on the site was started.
In the event, the toilets were built, and the requirements of Condition 2 have not been met - the public realm area seems to be being designed on the back of an envelope as they go along. If it were any applicant other than the Council itself, a Breach of Condition Notice should have been issued, together with a Temporary Stop Order, until they produced the complete unified plans required.

- Dennis

[steve s]

Might a petition of the public be in order? Councils don't seem to like petitions against them. Especially as we approach election time.

[Chris Welsford]

In a letter to the Town Council, the IWC Planners have admitted that the wall is a significant deviation from the agreed planning consent. They do not offer anything as a consequence but by that admission we do have an opportunity to make a substantial complaint and demand the removal of the wall and installation of the originally agreed fence. This complaint is currently being formulated. You should note that the planners are stubbornly refusing to back down in any way at this time.

Evelyn Knowles has presented her petition to County Hall, demanding the paddling pool be moved. I think most of the town signed it.

We should not forget that the Town's Conservative County Councillors have both supported the Cheetah Marine Development. They are also Ventnor Town Councillors. I can't help mentioning that these two also supported the closure of Ventnor Middle School. With Councillors like them, Ventnor didn't stand a chance!

[CPRE-IW]

There is a detailed highway alignment plan for the Cheetah Marine development (P/02013/06) showing that there should have been a clear walkway space all around the pool. The arrow pointing to the barrier says “Vehicle Containment Barrier with mesh infill panels on both sides".

Sorry, I should have referred to Condition 3 of the Toilets approval (P/02257/07) rather than Condition 2. Condition 3 says:
"No development shall take place until full details of both hard and soft landscape works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and these works shall be carried out as approved. These details shall include proposed finished levels or contours; means of enclosure; car parking layouts; other vehicle and pedestrian access and circulation areas; hard surfacing materials; minor artefacts and structures (e.g. furniture, play equipment, refuse or other storage units, signs, lighting, etc.); proposed and existing functional services above and below ground (e.g. drainage, power, communications cables, pipelines, etc., indicating lines, manholes, supports, etc.); retailed historic landscape features and proposals for restoration, where relevant".

[BigEars]

Mayor Scorcia has made it abundantly clear that she has no conflict of interest. She supports the interests of the IWC regime over the interests of Ventnor. Not to worry, Chris. It is unlikely that her position will survive an election.

[jimbob]

Sod the politics guys

Substantial railings would definately not do the job i tottally agree to the wall i just think the pool should move .
Railings are not going to stop a toddler climbing through the gap and getting into the road .

The pool either needs to move or a walkway made around it simple as that . There might even room for another sign

[madinthehead]

Just a thought, how exactly do you move the pool? I understand that it has been moved before but surely it and the Island contained within are destroyed / demolished and then rebuilt. Is the Island in all its glory actually moved and then lovingly (sic) recreated.

Anyone remember the last time?

[Crazy Horse]

Sod the politics guys

Substantial railings would definately not do the job i tottally agree to the wall i just think the pool should move .
Railings are not going to stop a toddler climbing through the gap and getting into the road .

The pool either needs to move or a walkway made around it simple as that . There might even room for another sign

You sound surprisingly like eerryou2 - any relation?

[CPRE-IW]

Before we get any more repeats of the phrase "railings are not going to stop a toddler climbing through the gap and getting into the road", would they please read my post of March 15, in which I pointed out that the approved plans for the railings included mesh inserts to prevent children climbing through.

Never mind all the comments after the fact. What people ought to be concerned about is the integrity of the planning system, and what has happened is that the construction of the barrier (and the walkway around the pool) has not proceeded according to the detailed plans approved by the IW Council Planning Committee on 24 Apr 2007.

[Crazy Horse]

Before we get any more repeats of the phrase "railings are not going to stop a toddler climbing through the gap and getting into the road", would they please read my post of March 15, in which I pointed out that the approved plans for the railings included mesh inserts to prevent children climbing through.

Hear hear CPRE.

That aside, I can't remember hearing any reports over the last few years of kids climbing through the other railings that ran alongside the road to the car park before it was moved, but mesh would be a good idea as a safety backup.

[Jan69]

Sod the politics guys

Substantial railings would definately not do the job i tottally agree to the wall i just think the pool should move .
Railings are not going to stop a toddler climbing through the gap and getting into the road .

The pool either needs to move or a walkway made around it simple as that . There might even room for another sign

You sound surprisingly like eerryou2 - any relation?

I thought the same.

[zoiner]

The quoted poster is wrong. It is perfectly possible to put substantial railings in place that will be more effective than a stone wall. E.g. those outside the Chapel in Alpine Road.

[jimbob]

Who is eeryou2 then?
I think some people on this blog are paranoid ,i have just read through some of eerryou2's posts and i agree with alot of his/her views and find some of your comments towards him/her quite unbelievable .

Why crazy horse would you have heard about any kids climbing through the railings? No one has been run over down there to my knoledge either but did you hear about the girl that was on a skateboard in the paddling pool and cracked her head open ?

As it happens crazy after reading some of your comments you remind me of someone just cant think who??