Guernsey Press

‘Scaly crickets could be moved to make way for waste site’

SCALY crickets found at Longue Hougue can be moved to 11 habitats across the island, a review into environmental impacts of extending an inert waste dumping site into Belle Greve has found.

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The rare scaly crickets which live in the area being considered as an inert waste site could be moved to one of 11 other habitats, an environmental impact assessment has found, but the shingle bay running north from Spur Point would be lost. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 26478131)

Comprising of 13 in-depth studies, the environmental impact assessment by Royal HaskoningDHV has been carried out over the last 18 months.

The study also looks at the best way to mitigate these across separate areas.

These include coastal and marine processes; traffic; air quality; noise and vibration; archaeology; human health; landscape and visual effects; and marine and terrestrial ecology.

La Societe Guernesiaise and Environment Guernsey were among the local groups consulted on potential impacts and Royal Haskoning, with the help of these experts, carried out new studies where data was insufficient.

When a baseline had been identified, an evaluation was carried out to judge the impact on the surrounding environment during construction and operation of an inert waste facility.

The results were then compared against today’s benchmark to assess whether the effect would be positive or negative and its significance.

‘The most significant effects would be the substantially negative visual impact in the immediate vicinity of the development, due to the loss of the current coastal area,’ the findings stated.

‘Further away, there would be a moderate adverse impact on the visual landscape. However with appropriate mitigation, any impacts on traffic, noise, population, water quality, archaeology and cultural heritage, and ecology and wildlife would, at worst, be minor.’

The development being considered would extend the land reclamation site southwards by around 500 metres.

Construction of a new breakwater from the south-east corner of Longue Hougue, linking to the shore at Spur Point, would create an area that could be backfilled using building waste, such as rubble, stone, and earth.

This means any development would result in the loss of the shingle bay running north from Spur Point.

The bay had previously been identified as a habitat for the scaly cricket, a rare insect.

Surveys found similar populations in at least 11 other sites around Guernsey so crickets captured at Spur Bay could be moved elsewhere.

In addition, an unusual rock formation, named the layered St Peter Port Gabbro, would be buried beneath any waste facility.

The study has noted that sections of the rock could be excavated and moved to the perimeter of the site for further research.

Positive impacts in improved coastal defence and reduced flood risk have also been identified.

The current site at Longue Hougue is expected to be full in 2022 and Guernsey Waste has agreed a contract to recover and recycle waste entering the site for use elsewhere in construction in the island.

An action plan for large construction projects is also being thrashed out to encourage as much recycling on sites as possible.

While these actions will extend the life of the facility operating at Longue Hougue, the need for a long-term solution remains.