Drone trial will not use public car park - council

The scheme was going to see the closure of Mornington Road car park

A controversial drone trial will not take place from a public car park, a council has announced.

The Inteliports Drone Trial, which would have seen drones delivering goods from Mornington Road car park on the Isle of Wight, had already been delayed twice because of residents' concerns.

Now, Isle of Wight Council leader Phil Jordan has said it was not in a position to "issue a temporary licence for use of the Mornington Road site".

He said Inteliports would instead look for potential locations in "privately-owned rural areas".

Residents had previously said the Cowes site was "inappropriate" for the six-month trial, which would have seen up to six flights a day.

In particular, they raised concerns about the need to close the car park for the duration.

Inteliports said it had "surveyed several sites across the island" but found the car park to be the most feasible option.

The initial start date of 7 August was delayed by a week to allow Isle of Wight Council officers to meet with residents, at which point the trial was delayed again to give the council "time to consider the licence for access to the site".

Jordan - who is also the cabinet member for transport and infrastructure - said the council remained "committed to working collaboratively with Inteliports in the future".

"We acknowledge the innovative potential of drone technology and the importance of skilled pilot schemes in ensuring safe and efficient operations," he said.

"We understand the critical importance of selecting the right location to ensure the success of any trial and that such initiatives have support from the local community."