Campaigners lose battle over dairy farm development

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

Campaigners have lost a High Court battle to save a dairy farm from being developed for housing.

The application to build 473 homes on Westridge Farm near Ryde was initially refused and then approved during the same Isle of Wight Council meeting in 2021.

Judge Milwyn Jarman KC ruled that a proper process had been followed.

The Save Westridge Farm Campaign, which raised more than £57,000 for the legal case by crowdfunding online, said it was considering whether to appeal.

The tenant farm was run by members of the Holliday family for 55 years until 2022.

Eight-year-old Archie Holliday 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.

The council planning meeting in July 2021 heard there were more than 500 objections to the development, supported by a 4,000-signature petition.

An initial vote to refuse the application was overturned, after councillors failed to agree reasons for refusal.

Councillor Martin Oliver, who had previously abstained, indicated a change of heart and backed the development in a second vote.

Judge Jarman commented: "Councillor Oliver... was hoping to find planning grounds to refuse the application but in the end accepted there was none."

He dismissed claims of council bias and added that a critic of the scheme, Councillor Michael Lilley, was excluded from the meeting on reasonable grounds.

The judge said the approval was confirmed through a "proper process" at a meeting in 2023.