Isle of Wight West Acre Park court challenge fundraising target hit

Save Westridge Farm said it needed to raise nearly £40,000 to take the Isle of Wight Council to court over grievances with the way Captiva Homes' West Acre Park planning application was handled.

The council has previously disagreed with the campaign and said there was nothing wrong with the way the decision was made for the approval of 473 new homes.

The group, which was started in 2021 to save the former dairy farm site on the outskirts of Ryde, has now had £39,570 in donations, from 739 pledges.

Today (Friday, September 15) is the group's last chance to appeal the decision and submit a judicial review. Applications have to be made within six weeks of planning approval being granted.

Posting on its Facebook page the campaign said hitting the target was 'historic' and it was now able to seek the judicial review, which it had been fighting for so long.

The group said: "We must continue to protect this important greenfield site for the Island community and as a habitat for endangered species."

The campaign believes there are many 'wrongdoings' and 'errors' in the way the application was determined.

It has sent a letter to the Isle of Wight Council outlining what it believes to be the legal issues with the application and decision-making process.

They include the conduct of the planning meeting where the application was first approved was unlawful and the council's approach to a section 106 planning obligation was unlawful.

The council has previously denied any wrongdoing.

The group also alleges the conduct of Cllr Geoff Brodie in his involvement of the decision-making process was 'tainted by apparent bias or by an improper motive'.

Cllr Brodie said he did not wish to comment.

The campaign says even though it has reached the milestone, it will continue to fundraise for the next phase which would cover court costs.

Before it can reach the High Court in London, a judge has to accept there is a case for judicial review.