Author: Mark Compton-Hall
Ventnor Town Council Planning Meeting Monday 31 March
Tuesday, 1st April, 2008 at 4:38 pm, Isle of Wight
First was a presentation by the Ventnor Golf Club:
The Ventnor Golf Club made a major announcement concerning their progress that fits in perfectly with the Eco Island strategy.
“It will be one of the first carbon neutral golf clubs in the UK….”
Some points of interest in the presentation included showing some of the several transmission towers in place on the island. This illustrated how modern technology structures can fit into the AONB landscape.
The 3 wind turbines proposed to be installed to provide a constant source of energy would take five days each to install. Would require minimum maintenance and would provide enough additional power to serve the needs of about 600 homes in Upper Ventnor.
The Town Council were very supportive of the project and wished Stewart success at the EGM planned for 24 April.
Stewart Blackmore of the Ventnor Golf Club (The oldest Golf Club on the island) made an informal presentation of their £1.75m plan (funded by Green Tourism) to construct 15 golfing holiday units and take the course up to an 18 hole championship course. The idea went down well with the council. It needs to clear the Golf Club AGM as well as go through Planning.
What was interesting is the plan to completely tidy up the rough and overgrown land off Steephill Down leading up to the Club. This has been historically looked at as a possible community garden area.
Supported in principle
A fuller report for background reading is in the CP
This is what was on the planning agenda:
As usual please click on the hyperlinks to go to the application files.
(All information, as usual, is courtesy of, and copyright of Council website)
A direct link is also available, now, through the Ventnor Town Plan site under Planning.
TCP/12871/B, P/00187/08
Victoria Mount Victoria Street Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381ES
Vehicular access with driveway/parking area
Councillor: Jonny Fitzgerald-Bond
Approved
TCP/25382/A, P/00499/08
Foxwood Shore Road Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381RF
Alterations two extensions to provide additional living accommodation
Councillor: Jonny Fitzgerald-Bond
Approved
TCP/01033/D, P/00345/08
Hotel Picardie Esplanade Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381JX
Change of use from hotel to dwelling
Councillor: Susan Scoccia
Note:
Marcia Forsyth-Grant runs what is essentially the last family hotel on the Esplanade. It is on the market for a guide £1M.
See
Val Taylor declared a personal interest.
Robbie Mew opined the hotel had not been run properly as a hotel for a long time.
Refused on the grounds of not being consistent with the Tourism nature of the Esplanade.
TCP/21749/B, P/00586/08
Sea Haze Wheelers Bay Road Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381HR
Alterations and single/2/3 storey extension to provide additional living accommodation
Councillor: Jonny Fitzgerald-Bond
Approved
TCP/01779/F, P/00513/08
3 Southgrove Terrace Southgrove Road Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381TN
Variation of condition no. 4 on TCP/01779/E which relates to no. of parking spaces provided
Councillor: Jonny Fitzgerald-Bond
Approved
TCP/24467/H, P/00490/08
Land adjacent 2 Pelham Road Ventnor Isle of Wight PO38
Renewal Outline for dwelling.
Councillor: Susan Scoccia
Approved
TCP/27426/B, P/00525/08
21 Inglewood Park Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381UX
Alterations to include conversion of garage into dressing room and glazed roof light single storey side and rear extensions hard standing and alteration to vehicular access
Councillor: Susan Scoccia
Refused due to over development
TCP/27882/A, P/00536/08
5 Gills Cliff Road Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381LH
Proposed dormer window on south elevation
Councillor: Susan Scoccia
Approved
TCP/28925, P/00477/08
Villa Amanti Esplanade Ventnor Isle of Wight PO38
Alterations single storey extension to provide additional living accommodation alterationsto roof to provide accommodation within roof space proposed balconies on south elevation alterations to front boundary wall/railings
Councillor: Susan Scoccia
Approved
TCP/28926, P/00528/08
The Firs The Undercliffe Drive Ventnor Isle of Wight PO381XX
Alterations and single storey extension to provide additional living accommodation
Councillor: Susan Scoccia
Approved
Eco-Island, Ventnor, Planning, Community
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April 1st, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Thats what I call a working plan. 5 days to install. So my theory is correct, working efforts can be made, although has anybody invesitgated how many people on the island actually play golf, It is a seasonal sport after all.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Good point about the golf.
It has been asked that if someone has a choice of going winter golfing in the Algarve (heaven forbid) — where it’s sunny, — or Ventnor — where it _can_ be pretty decent, if it’s deciding not to be blustery — who would choose colder climes?
I’m sure we could all imagine that there are some golfers that would relish playing in the driving rain too - although it may be that you need to use specially-weighted balls in those conditions.
As to whether there’s enough of those people to fill 15 four bedroom chalets is uncertain.
As to how many people play golf on the Island? Looks like there’s eight courses on the Island (news to me). At a guess? Around 2,500 golfers across the Island?
April 1st, 2008 at 8:39 pm
BTW Jack … if you’ve not been up to the gold course yet, you should gird your loins.
You’d love the views I suspect - they’re stunning.
April 1st, 2008 at 10:38 pm
So, Simon, cynicism is not dead. I could be wrong here (I have been before, once!) but I suspect that neither you nor Jack are golfers. Golf is most definately not a seasonal sport and as for the 15 lodges, please bear in mind that, not so long ago, Ventnor boasted some 40 hotels; can you guess how many now? A round of blustery golf for the first correct answer!
You didn’t know that there are 8 courses on the Island?. You’re probably right if you don’t include Westridge (par 3 - let me know and I’ll explain what this means). But, if you feel the need to comment, at least have a grasp of the facts.
The number of golfers already on the Island is not a great factor; rather it is the number who can be attracted to this beautiful place; some of us working very hard to make this happen.
And yes, Simon, the views are stunning.
Stewart Blackmore
April 1st, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Dear VGC,
So this venture is more of vested interest in self indulgence, expecting of course that the money raised on the golf course go on to making the island a more sustainalbe place I am all for it. You are right I am not a golfer. So as a result my opinion is biased as yours is since you are one. I do not know anything about golfing and have very little interest in it. My point was that if you are going to supply some homes in Ventnor power with wind turbines built on your premises I find no real problem with your golf course. The only problem I see is the one I haven’t seen, which Simone brought to my attention, the view. Is your golf course only for golfers? I am assuming that it is being made private for people only whom golf. This assumption may be incorrect in which case I am willing to learn. Enlighten me please. Golf is considered a game of chess if you know the possibilities in your swing.
April 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 am
Hi Jack,
Many thanks for your email.
Far from being an exercise in self indulgence, this scheme is essential to the continued existence of the golf club for the following reasons (not exhaustive):
The golf club has not made a profit in recent memory, depending on (now mostly dead) wealthy members to ‘bail it out’ from time to time.
The rise in subscription rates actually needed would be far too high for most members to contemplate.
The vagaries of the weather (especially fog) leads to cancellations and, by extension, loss of income.
The membership is increasingly elderly and we MUST attract new, younger members, but we need a proper facility to attract them.
Finally, you mention the view. There will be absolutely no detriment to the stunning views from the golf club land; we have three ‘rights of way’ through the golf course and they will not be inhibited in any way.
We have gone to extreme lengths to ensure that our plans are sympathetic to the land which surrounds, consulting every step along the way.
I hope this goes some way to reassuring you.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:05 am
Speaking as an enthusiastic golfer, though not as a member of VGC, I am very excited about the possibility of having a first class resource on my doorstep. I concede that this might be perceived as self indulgent.
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:15 am
when i was a pupil (briefly - for one year) at sandown grammar school, golf was on the curriculum as one of the options for compulsory sport.
April 12th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
What concerns me is the noise from the wind turbines, exactly where are they going to be built? Will residents on Whitwell Road be able to see and hear them?
April 13th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Gill,
The maximum noise from these turbines will be 40 dB, which is well within HSE guidlines, which describe this level of noise as ‘at the same level of a quiet office environment’.
The exact positioning will be decided after consultation with Planners and the energy company. There is a slight chance that the tops can be seen from Whitwell Road; but then you can see the ATC Tower from the road also, as well as Niton Radio masts.