Bear Grylls' mother, 81, joins fight against 130 luxury homes in quiet Isle of Wight village where the adventurer was raised By Emily Jane Davies Published: 06:33 EDT, 23 July 2024 | Updated: 06:40 EDT, 23 July 2024 e-mail View comments Bear Grylls ' mother has joined the fight against plans for luxury homes in her quiet Isle of Wight village where her adventurer son grew up. The 81-year-old has lived in the coastal village for 50 years and slammed the plans to build the 130 luxury homes as 'totally inappropriate' for the area. Lady Sally Grylls moved to Bembridge on the Isle of Wight when her son was just four years old and the village is said to be the place where he learnt to sail and climb.
In 2018, a greenfield site in the village was identified as suitable for housing by the local council and it has been earmarked for a 130 home development by Captiva Homes' Middleton. Lady Grylls, the mother of Bear Grylls, taking part in protests in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight Pictured are protesters against 130 new luxury homes in the village of Bembridge TV star Grylls has often reminisced about his father taking him on 'adventures' to climb the cliffs around the coast on the Island when he was growing up Lady Grylls is joined by comedian Marek Larwood, 48, who also lives in Bembridge and proclaimed it 'would no longer be a village' if the housing went ahead. TV star Grylls has often reminisced about his father taking him on 'adventures' to climb the cliffs around the coast on the Island when he was growing up.
Read More EXCLUSIVE Action man Grylls shares sweet moment with his son as they step out for sunrise walk in Costa Rica where he is filming Netflix show Bear Hunt He has also affectionately described his mother texting him after she's taken her mobility scooter down to the sea to watch the moon on the water. Protesting the plans for new housing at her peaceful village, Lady Grylls said: 'In that time I have seen an increase dramatically in the volume of traffic and it's just totally inappropriate to be building more and more expensive houses on green fields.' Meanwhile, TV actor Larwood, who grew up and went to school on the Island, said: 'It makes me feel really depressed because once it's gone, it's gone forever.
' Resident and professional diver, Martin Woodward, who is part of campaign group Build a Better Bembridge, said flooding and traffic were among his main concerns. He also claims housing would not be 'affordable', as advertised. 'The council should be on the side of the community, not the developers', he said.
The development would include a range of 'heritage style' finishes, to help it blend in More than 300 parking spaces would be created alongside the houses, including 62 for visitors - but locals have slammed this as 'excessive' Of the proposed properties, 46 one, two and three-bed houses would be marketed at an 'affordable rate', according to the developer. Read More The Bear necessities! Bear Grylls takes a walk with his son along the beach as his Netflix show begins filming in Costa Rica These would include 33 rented under a local lettings plan, with local families first in line. Planning documents say the development could inject £40 million into the local economy and create more than 50 jobs.
The development would include a range of 'heritage style' finishes, to help it blend in with the 'unique sense' of the quaint village. More than 300 parking spaces would be created alongside the houses, including 62 for visitors - but locals have slammed this as 'excessive'. As part of a separate development, 56 homes are currently being built on the corner of Steyne Road and Hillway Road and Mr Woodward fears adding even more properties would 'destroy Bembridge'.
Planning documents say the development could inject £40 million into the local economy Pictured is the stunning Bembridge seafront on the Isle of Wight 'It hasn't got the infrastructure to take it', he said, arguing that more people would put already-stretched GP surgeries under more pressure. Read More King Charles appoints Bear Grylls to new Army role and makes TV adventurer a figurehead for young recruits He also said that proposals contravene the Bembridge Neighbourhood Development Plan (BNDP). Created in 2014, the BNDP recognises some development in the village is inevitable but that it should be of 'small scale' and ideally not on greenfield land.
Captiva director James Pink has previously said that flooding and highways were very much 'top of the list' and measures would be put in place to mitigate any problems. In terms of affordability, he said 46 houses would be in the affordable bracket and 70 per cent of those rented. Build a Better Bembridge says plans for Middleton are set to go before the council's planning committee on July 30.
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