‘States should get involved in Leale’s Yard development’

Deputy Fallaize and Laurie Queripel, who is a member of the Scrutiny Management Committee, believe that emptying the site in the first place was a mistake and extremely premature.

The last tenants left the site about 10 years ago.

Deputy Queripel said the land was serving a useful and necessary purpose for industrial businesses and upon eviction not all of them were able to find suitable premises. As a result, some ceased to trade, resulting in loss of jobs and services.

‘It has been a waste of a site, which has deteriorated and as far as I know yielded no revenue for its owners,’ said Deputy Queripel.

‘The effect has been detrimental in many ways, it was a backward step.’

He added: ‘If it were to be used for housing in part – as well as a retail development with the general idea of regenerating the area – then considering that it is a brown field site which would certainly be preferable to building on than the very few green fields in the vicinity.

‘I would be very wary about the density with the impact and demands on the infrastructure and roads in mind in an already busy and built up area.’

Deputy Fallaize believes the current ownership of the land by the Channel Islands Co-op is at fault for the ‘regrettable’ and ‘long-standing delay’.

‘It seems to me unlikely that any substantial development will be carried out while the site is in its current ownership,’ he said.

‘I think the States should seriously consider involving itself directly in the development project, perhaps in conjunction with the Guernsey Housing Association or a private developer.’

Deputy Fallaize has voiced his opinion in various States meetings that without involvement led by the States, there will be no development at Leale’s Yard. Although he does recognise ‘the current trend of developing seemingly every green space in much of the Vale.’

St Sampsons’ deputy and member of the Policy & Resources Committee Deputy Jane Stephens said: ‘The delay in the Leale’s Yard project, whilst regrettable, may be an advantage in allowing a rethink.

‘For instance, the area might provide some more homes for older people so they might vacate large single-occupancy properties, but only if they wish to.’

She is, however, of the view that cramming more and more building into areas that are ‘struggling to cope with workers and residents needs’ is no longer an adequate response.

Charles Parkinson, president of Economic Development said: ‘There will be a meeting on this subject on 12 October, and it would probably be unwise to express any view before then.’

LEALE'S YARD TIMELINE

1998: Leale’s Yard was bought by the Co-op for £5m.

2001: Islanders were invited by the Island Development Committee to give their views on future development.

June 2002: Public inquiry held with all islanders able to make their views known.

November 2004: A full outline planning brief adopted by the States.

April 2009: Leale’s Yard Ltd submitted its planning application. Had that been granted, work would have commenced in 2011.

February 2010: Work starts on the first phase of the Leale’s Yard development. Contractors began preliminary work to create 16 new houses at Lowlands Road, St Sampson’s. Three three-bedroom houses, two houses with two bedrooms and nine one-bedroom flats were to be built, each with its own car parking. They were due for completion in 2011.

2011: Permission granted in principle for 170 new homes, a two-storey Co-op store and more than 14,000sq.m of retail space. At the time, the hope was for it to be ready for tenants in three years.

The price tag was £100m.

November 2014: Permission lapses for 2011-approved plans. Extension of three years granted.

2015: Talks of building more than 250 properties in the area between the Housing Department, Guernsey Housing Association and the Channel Islands Co-operative Society. This was in response to criticisms that not enough was being done to build affordable housing.

February 2016: Saw the Co-operative Society submit a planning application to see 412 new homes built on the site, along with 2,123sq.m of commercial, retail and community space to begin in 2017.

August 2016: planners give new plans approval, final decision to be made at open planning meeting.

Halfway through 2018, the site is still desolate as ever. Vale senior constable Richard Leale previously said leaving the Leale’s Yard site empty would be a ‘tremendous waste of space’.