‘Bridge traffic needs sorting – as does Leale’s Yard problem’

Martin Search, managing director of Ray & Scott jewellers on the Bridge, believed the Channel Islands Co-operative Society was at fault for the stand-still at Leale’s Yard.

Policy & Resources is in talk with the Co-op about public support for developing the site, with anger in the Assembly last week that it could involve an £8m. subsidy.

‘There’s no way I agree with the States putting money into a scheme that is clearly flawed,’ he said.

‘I agree with compulsory purchasing of Leale’s Yard for a written-down cost, or it goes back on the market as the Co-op are clearly not developers and are trying to cover the original cost of buying it in the first place.’

He said the Co-op had disrupted the Bridge area for around 15 years now since owning the land.

‘They continually say it’s for the good of the area, but I feel that’s worn a little thin now – they keep promising things when there is no way they can deliver.’

Peter Barnes, 71, who shops on the Bridge regularly, said Leale’s Yard has been plagued with controversy and mismanaged from the start.

‘The Co-op has been sat on it for so long and I totally disagree with funding a development there using public money.’

Agreeing with Deputy Peter Ferbrache’s idea to use Leale’s Yard as public parkland, Mr Barnes said the north had already been over-developed with houses, so a shopping centre or park might suit the area more and benefit the whole island.

However, he felt traffic issues in the area, particularly on the Bridge, needed to be dealt with first before any spades go in the ground.

‘Traffic is a nightmare on the Bridge. People don’t want to walk at all so they hold up traffic waiting for a space right outside where they need to go.

‘It affects the surrounding areas as well causing a build-up because going past the Bridge is one of the main routes to the north of the island.’

Without a decent road structure, any work on the Bridge and development at Leale’s Yard would only add to the problems, he said.

Smilers is closing its Bridge store on Saturday and has cited parking as one of the factors.

Phil Hall works part-time at Tozers on the Bridge and lives in the north of the island.

‘There is quite a bit of space at the back of the Bridge which could be used for additional parking without too much work and capital,’ he said.

‘People cope with parking up here, but it’s often quite busy so just allocating a small space for parking could make a big difference.’

He hoped Leale’s Yard would not be developed into housing as the north ‘already has its fair share’, and instead thought a cinema of a similar standard to those seen in the UK and France would be a better idea.

n The Co-op has full or outline planning permission for 412 homes to be built at Leale’s Yard, but that expires next month.

It has said it remains committed to regeneration and development of the Bridge area.