Quarry neighbour is pleased by P&R’s ‘common sense’ rejection

The Environment & Infrastructure Committee and the States’ Trading Supervisory Board approached P&R for the money needed to conduct environmental impact assessments at L’Epine and Guillotin quarries, which would have just a three-year lifespan.

The States’ senior committee rejected the bid for funding, labelling it a bad use of taxpayers’ money.

Vale senior constable Richard Leale said there were more suitable options for disposing of materials such as stone, rubble and soil. ‘I, and I think the majority of Vale residents, will be delighted that P&R have exercised some common sense in this matter,’ he said.

‘Looking at what has already been written in the Guernsey Press and elsewhere on this, I hope that the States and the deputies will now be minded to look for proper, long-term solutions that benefit the island for decades to come.’

He referred to the possible use of Longue Hougue Quarry, currently in use for water storage, as a site for inert waste and the subsequent release of Les Vardes when Ronez moves its operations to Chouet headland.

‘I’m aware the timescales aren’t ideal but short-termism doesn’t produce the best solutions for the island,’ he added.

He said that proposals for the eastern seaboard and St Peter Port Harbour should also be taken into account before a final decision is made.

Terry and Margaret Hockey have lived next to L’Epine quarry, which is currently used for waste storage by Guernsey Water, for around 40 years.

‘Hopefully they have seen a bit of sense and won’t come to either of these quarries,’ said Mr Hockey.

‘It would make sense to continue at Longue Hougue in view of all the machinery and the weighbridge already being there.

‘It would give you a useful piece of land you could utilise, while there’s nothing to be gained from using either of these two quarries.’

Among his concerns were the lack of room for two large vehicles to pass each other in the small lanes around L’Epine, the absence of a pavement and the proximity to a well-used school bus stop.

‘Hopefully this is the end of it now, but there’s still a decision to be made,’ he said.

Margaret Solway said she was delighted when she found out P&R would not support the investigations. ‘Thank goodness – I am so pleased, just think of all that traffic,’ she said.

Her neighbour Janet Brown said there could have been safety issues for pedestrians. ‘I am pleased and relieved. Walking in the area can be awkward already with two dogs and this would have made the traffic worse, especially with the size of the vehicles,’ she said.

‘For people just walking in the area in general it would have been a bit hazardous.’

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said investigating the quarries further was a ‘stupid’ decision to begin with.

‘They are just clutching at straws. There must be more suitable places to take hard core than these two quarries,’ they said.

E&I and the STSB’s first-choice option is the south side of Longue Hougue. However, they were required to investigate alternatives following an amendment by deputies Emilie Yerby and Jennifer Merrett that was approved by the States in December.

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