Major proposals for a new leisure and commercial park next to the Isle of Wight Airport have been refused.

At a meeting of the council's planning committee, concerns were raised over "dangerous" access to and from the site, coming from Newport Road, Apse Heath.

There were also fears over the bus stop, should employees and tourists visit the proposed Sandown Employment Park via public transport.

Plans submitted by Tony Fowler, one of the freeholders of the airfield, sought to build 12 commercial units/buildings, with space for 246 car parking spots, on land between Scotchells Brook Lane and Newport Road.

Sandown Aviation Museum would also have been relocated there.

Mr Fowler told the planning committee that when he purchased the site 12 years ago, it lacked investment.

"Now it brings much needed business and tourism to the Island", he said.

"Our current outline application is based on managing and developing land which has already been identified in the Island Planning Strategy".

Access to the park would have been gained from a spur road off Newport Road, plans proposed.

This would have formed a staggered junction with the existing Honnor and Jeffrey Garden Centre, on the opposite side of the road.

Original plans sought to relocate the bus stop, but the revised application proposed a new concrete standing area for the existing bus stop near the entrance to Scotchells Brook Lane.

Ward councillor, Clare Mosdell, said: "How do you give this permission on a busy road? The museum can be somewhere else.

"This is so so dangerous".

Cllr Julie Jones-Evans questioned if the bus stop is dangerous, why that issue hadn't been tackled separately.

"I'm concerned that we've got employment land that we're never going to be able to release because of a bus stop", she said.

Although supportive of creating employment opportunities, Cllr Matthew Price said the application should be refused until access to the site and bus stop enhancements are made.

Councillors voted to reject the plans, by seven votes to two.