Author: Sal
Jonathan Seaver Fitzgerald Bond: A Lesson in Stone Masonry
Friday, 9th May, 2008 at 9:35 pm, Isle of Wight
Jonny Fitzgerald Bond! Wow, what a guy!
He never ceases to amaze us and on Tuesday night at the Ventnor Town Council Planning meeting he reinforced our views of him once again.
When discussing the planning application to build a house in a garden on Madeira Road (since when does an established 150 year old garden become an infill site?) he stated that he had no problem with the Victorian wall being demolished to make way for the proposed dwelling, because IT WAS MADE OF BREEZE BLOCKS.
Come again old boy?
Breeze blocks you say? Would they be the same ‘breeze blocks’ he previously mistook in a Victorian wall a few hundred feet away down the road at St Joseph’s (that he also had no problem being demolished to make way for another dangerous drive)?
Since Michael Jennings’ financiers have got involved in the St Joseph’s development (they’re “taking a more active role in ensuring the project is concluded to the right quality”), they insisted that the perimeter walls get some quality treatment. Quite right too.
The result of the render being hacked off and the walls being shown some proper tender loving care is fantastic and adds immensely to the conservation area.
We think it would be hard for anyone to mistake this wall for breeze blocks, unless of course, you’re a total buffoon!
Luckily three Town Councillors: Val Taylor, Debby Robinson and Steve Milford saw sense and rejected the application, as had been done on previous applications by the Ventnor town council and the Planning Department for this site.
Conservation, Planning, Ventnor
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May 9th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
This man is on the Audit Committee and he can;t tell the difference between stone and breeze blocks!?!
Beggars belief in my opinion.
May 10th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Maybe, JUST maybe, Victorian breeze blocks were what we now know as STONE, as in STONE walls, and this is confusing Johnny, because something (or someone) is confusing him.
May 10th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
There are two reasons why Jonny Bond must be right:
1.Seaver apparently is Irish for a “stronghold ” implying the need for a knowledge of walls for protection of said stronghold;
2.He has spent much of his life in hotel and catering and so will know everything about everything.
We should indeed be grateful for such a knowledgeable representative who is prepared to generously share his expertise with the poor of Ventnor.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Very interesting that once again, some Councillors support such garden grabbing applications.
Of even more interest is the minute relating to this, which can be seen on the comments section of the application.
Apparently there were 10 Councillors present at the TC meeting 0n 6 May.
Cllr. Scoccia did not take part due to her DCC role.
Cllr. Cawley declared an interest and took no part.
Basildon abstained and asked that it be recorded that 5 members had voted for refusal and 3 against.
So, if my math is correct that was 3 members who took no part. 3 from 10 is 7, so not only can he not tell breeze blocks from IOW stone, he can’t add up either!
I love the official quote about the project further up the road:
“taking a more active role in ensuring the project is concluded to the right quality”
which seems to be a euphemism for something else possibly containing the words “off” and “site”!
Don’t forget, in one year, we can get rid of those who have not heeded their constituents and I believe there will be at least 15 Tory Councillors who will lose their seat.
May 11th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Is this the same bloke reported in the IWCP who was in favour of expanding the Royal Hotel Car Park seemingly because they are very nice chaps who are making pots of money?
May 12th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Nothing wrong with nice chaps making money.
It’s the “not so nice” chaps (and chapesses) making money who should concern people.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
[...] stating that he saw nothing wrong with the application and that the so-called Victorian wall was just made of breeze blocks so why shouldn’t it come down to make way for another property [...]
May 12th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
There IS nothing wrong with making money per se, just the thought that the criteria being applied for taking a planning decision should be based the objective merits of a case.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
The objective merit in this case is that the patch of grass serves no useful purpose and it is needed for additional parking for the large numbers of guests who stay at the Royal, whether you like it or not, one of the most successful hotels on the island.
You should not worry too much anyway, as JFB has little or none at all influence over planning decisions.
And please don’t call me Percy.
May 16th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Sorry, I am half awake, didn’t get that before