Vinery neighbours feel ‘completely betrayed’

Despite hundreds of objections to plans for the Domarie and Avondale vineries site on Oatlands Lane, planning permission is being recommended to clear some of the glasshouses and create 15 storage units and two open yards, with conditions, troubling residents who believe the application should never have gone ahead.

Andy Fuller’s house is directly on the corner, which is of main concern, near the entrance to the site.

‘It’s madness. It should never have happened from day one,’ said the 60-year-old.

‘One thing discussed within the report is the light traffic when Guernsey Clematis was using it – but that was over 20 years ago.

‘Even Traffic & Highway Services have said it’s a dangerous corner and they don’t know what it will be like at full capacity.

‘They’ve put it with conditions, but how they’re going to police that I have no idea, because they’re using the site now.

‘It’s shocking that we’re being ignored – we’re now looking at the report for approval and a couple of the neighbours are getting together to prepare for Wednesday’s last-ditch attempt to stop it going through – I just don’t know if it’s going to be enough.’

One condition proposed in the planning application report states that the site cannot be used for delivery, removal or movement of goods at any time other than between 8am and 6pm on Mondays to Fridays, and 8am and 1.30pm on Saturdays, and not at all on Sundays or public holidays.

However, according to residents the site is currently being used with large vehicles already entering and exiting the site during the early hours of the morning.

‘The noise and dust are awful,’ said Michelle Mahy, 37, whose home is right next to the site.

‘They’re using it currently and waking the kids up in the morning. I can’t imagine if it got busier. It’s such a detriment to our health.

‘I feel completely betrayed. I’ve written six objections and plenty more of the neighbours have too and we’re just being ignored, it’s upsetting, we don’t want this.’

Traffic & Highway Services also stated in the report that they had some significant traffic management and road safety concerns surrounding the change of use to the site and would oppose the application on road safety and traffic management concerns, taking into account vulnerable road users such as children and cyclists who use it.

St Sampson’s douzenier Rob Gill said that as part of the douzaine he could see both sides to the plans, but as a cyclist who used to use the road to and from work, he thought it was already dangerous.

‘The road is primarily for cyclists and pedestrians,’ he said.

‘I was very wary of the bend on the road because it was dangerous as people would just pull out without looking.

‘It seems illogical, with that in mind, for that not to have been taken into account.

‘The road is inadequate for more traffic to be on it.’

n The open planning meeting, set before the Development & Planning Authority, will be held in the Cambridge or Delancey rooms at Beau Sejour at 9.30am on Wednesday 14 August, where the final decision will be made.

‘They’re trying to brush objections under the rug’