Author: Sal
Ventnor Town Council Planning Meeting: Cheetah Marine Variations
Tuesday, 6th May, 2008 at 4:01 pm, Isle of Wight
You wouldn’t have realised it, if you check the Town Council Website for details of when meetings are held, because it’s not listed on there, but tonight there will be a planning meeting at the Winter Gardens (thanks to Mark for spotting the agenda on the council noticeboard and posting to the forum).
Anyone interested in the Cheetah Marine application to build on the eastern esplanade car park, may be interested to hear that they have applied once again for variations on conditions attached to the planning permission which was granted last year.
Variation to the conditions were applied for last year but rejected by the Ventnor Town Council, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens tonight.
The variation to condition 14 is the worrying aspect of this application. It’s worrying because it is not clear what changes to the condition are actually being requested.
Condition 14 relates to an obligation to keep open showers and toilet facilities for the haven users and the cafe, as well as provision for the harbour master’s office.
We’re not sure how the Ventnor Town Council will be able to make a decision on this unless application, unless they are privy to more information than the public are being given.
From looking at the revised drawings, what is clear is that the cafe (which was advertised as providing refreshments to users of the paddling pool) is now being expanded into a restaurant, and the chandlery is much smaller than previously planned.
From what we can see, the harbour master’s office is not specifically marked on the plans - despite this being one of the arguments for gaining permission. We might be wrong and perhaps just haven’t found it on the plans yet. If you know differently, do get in touch and let us know.
Dennis Russell from the Campaign to Protect Rural England has added some comments to the forum which are worth reading if you have an interest in this seafront development.
Planning Agenda for Ventnor Town Council
TCP/14875/N, P/00980/08
Adjacent to east side of pumping station Esplanade Ventnor Isle Of Wight PO38
Variation of condition 11 on TCP/14875/L to vary the time scale for construction of the ancillary storage building and condition 14 to amend the terms of the planning obligation in relation to the provision of a harbour masters office, cafe etc
Further info on the forum from CPRE
Also up, is an application to build in a garden (which has somehow been deemed an infill site) with a drive and garage, bang opposite the entrance to the Ventnor Towers Hotel. This application was recently refused by the planning department and had strong local opposition.
CAC/14487/K, P/00931/08
Land between 35 and 37 Madeira Road Ventnor Isle of Wight PO38
Conservation Area Consent for partial demolition of front wall in connection with proposed detached house with integral double garage vehicular access (revised scheme - previously rejected)
TCP/14487/L, P/00930/08
Land between 35 and 37 Madeira Road Ventnor Isle Of Wight PO38
Partial demolition of front wall proposed detached house with integral double garage vehicular access (revised scheme - previously rejected)
TCP/12360/B, P/00820/08
24 Castle Court Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381UE
Demolition of bungalow construction of detached house with integral garage
TCP/12360/B, P/00820/08
24 Castle Court Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381UE
Demolition of bungalow construction of detached house with integral garage
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May 6th, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 4:34 pm
Can’t make it to the meeting but keen to hear how it is discussed by the town councillors. Will you be reporting?
May 6th, 2008 (2 weeks ago) at 10:48 pm
I have now discovered what the proposed change to Condition 14 is, and it is once again attempting to omit completely the requirement for permanent marine use of the site. For full details see my new post on the Forum. This change is not mentioned in the title of the application, or in the application form, which attempts to draw attention away from this crucial condition by concentrating on the harbour master’s office. Most of the town councillors were taken in, and thought that the marine use was still there. Moreover, I was denied an official chance to put them right, because the Town Council Plans Committee does not allow public input.
May 7th, 2008 (1 weeks ago) at 2:31 pm
“Moreover, I was denied an official chance to put them right, because the Town Council Plans Committee does not allow public input.”
Since when????
Below is an excerpt from the TC Planning Committee meeting of 16 July 2007:
STARTS:
4 QUESTION
Arising on a question raised by a member of the public at question time
regarding a decision taken at the meeting of the Committee held on 25th
June 2007 under reference P/01288/07 TCP/11327/G requesting that the
Committee reconsider their recommendation to the Planning Authority it
was agreed to reconsider the application at the next meeting.
ENDS
However, having looked for minutes of the aforementioned meeting of 25 June AND the subsequent 13 August meeting which definitively rescinded the decision for approval made on 25 June, I cannot find mention of this application in the minutes.
Indeed, there ARE NO minutes of any meeting dated 25 June 2007 on the TC website. Yet the meeting of 16 July refers to the 25 June meeting! Curiouser and curiouser!
They were there once upon a time, as copies were made of all 3 meetings for historical record and legal submissions, so if there are dark forces at work, editing, altering or even deleting public documents, as appears to be the case here, it should be remembered to copy/tape record/keep verifiable notes of, any decision which is contentious.
Fail to prepare - Prepare to fail!
May 7th, 2008 (1 weeks ago) at 3:31 pm
I have now found the relevant minutes by going to the “Comments” section of the application as it appears on iwight.com.
It still begs the question as to why there are no minutes of these meetings on Ventnor TC website.
May 8th, 2008 (6 days ago) at 11:50 am
Bertie, The meetings of the Town Council have a slot at the beginning for public questions, and this is usually followed by a Plans Committee meeting. On a previous occasion I was told that if I had a planning question then I should put it in the public slot at the beginning of the Council meeting, because there was no provision for such input at the Plans Committee. So when the Plans Committee meets on its own, as it did on 6 May, they said sorry, you can’t talk to us.
May 8th, 2008 (6 days ago) at 11:58 am
Just to add to the question of public speaking at Town Council or its committees, I have sent an email to Town Clerk John Farrant asking for details of any resolution or by-law which either allows or restricts public input. But I’m told that he doesn’t reply to emails, so I may have to send a hard copy.