Protesters win court appeal over farm development

Campaigners have donated more than £57,000 to fight legal battles

Protesters have won a legal battle over plans to build 473 homes on a dairy farm.

Two High Court judges ruled provisionally that the Isle of Wight Council's decision to grant planning permission should be quashed.

They said the council failed to publicise a financial deal with the developer over road improvements.

The Save Westridge Farm campaign raised more than £57,000 in donations to fight the long-running court battle.

The application to develop the farm near Ryde was initially refused and then approved during a turbulent council meeting in 2021.

Some councillors who opposed the scheme were excluded from attending or voting on the grounds that their minds were closed.

The meeting heard there were more than 500 objections to the development, supported by a 4,000-signature petition.

The council confirmed its approval at a meeting in April 2023, the High Court heard.

It then agreed that developers should pay £406,359 towards two road junctions, even though the firm had costed the work at £777,000, the judges said.

However, the council failed to publicise the so-called section 106 deal, thereby depriving campaigners of an opportunity to comment on it, they ruled.

Archie Holliday, 8, said in a Save Westridge Farm campaign video in 2020 that he hoped to take over the farm from his father Nigel

Overturning a previous High Court ruling, Lord Justice Lewis said: "In my provisional view... the decision of 4 August 2023 issuing planning permission is unlawful and should be quashed.

"That would enable the council to comply with its obligation, place the section 106 on the planning register and allow comment on the agreement and, in particular, the financial contribution for highway improvements."

The judge and Lord Justice Singh dismissed three other grounds of the claim by protesters.

Westridge Farm was run by members of the Holliday family for 55 years until 2022.

Eight-year-old Archie Holliday previously featured in a campaign video on social media in which he said he wanted to be a farmer "like my dad, grandad and great-grandad".

Developer Captiva Homes previously said the development would protect 80 local jobs and create "desperately-needed" housing, including 166 affordable homes.

Ryde councillor Michael Lilley, who was excluded from voting at the 2021 meeting, said: "It is a historic victory for ordinary people who just want fairness and transparency."

Isle of Wight Council and Save Westridge Farm have been approached for comment.