Neighbours backing family over planners

A VALE family's unfinished home is the only one to have been targeted with a 'completion notice' by the Environment Department.

And planners admitted they had no details about how many other unfinished builds there are in the island.

After 15 years of work, Guernsey's first ever completion notice was served on Fricourt, La Grande Maison Road, Vale, last October, ordering owner William Smith, 55, to finish the build within two years or see his planning permission revoked.

Neighbours have come out in support of Mr Smith and his family, stating they had no problems with the build. But planners issued the notice after receiving just one complaint about the project.

• Mr Smith is in the process of challenging the notice as he is worried his family will be forced to leave their property, where they live in the basement, if he cannot get the work done in time. The appeal tribunal is currently considering his case.