La Vallette users cautious over planned ‘super-duper’ building
SWIMMERS have cautiously welcomed news that a planning application to alter the changing rooms and kiosk at La Vallette has been passed. But they hope the new facility is not too ‘polished’.
Permission for the project was granted this week, which will allow the building at the bathing pools to be redeveloped to provide new community changing rooms on the lower ground floor, a kiosk and seating areas on the upper ground floor and an events pavilion on the first floor.
Regular swimmers at the site admitted that the proposals, which were put forward by Vive La Vallette, had been divisive, with not all regulars wanting an updated building.
But most admitted that updating the changing rooms – which are currently sparse and basic – would be a good thing.
‘In a way I am pleased to hear about it,’ said one.
‘But I am not sure how it will work. They do not seem to have taken traffic into consideration. People will come down here with children. Where will they park?’
Yesterday lunchtime all the parking in the area was taken, despite it still being school term time. Some parking has been lost at the southern end of the road due to the Cow’s Horn landslip earlier in the year.
Another regular swimmer, Casey Lee, agreed the changing rooms needed an upgrade.
‘Updating the changing rooms is all good,’ she said.
‘However, from my point of view, the pools being usable is the most important thing.’
Not-for-profit group Vive La Vallette is currently in the process of negotiating a commercial lease with the States of Guernsey for the site. The maintenance of the pools will be staying with the States.
Brian Chapman swims at the pools most days and felt the agreed plans were over the top.
‘I like it as it is,’ he said.
‘We don’t need any super-duper building.’
He did welcome the news that the planners have put a number of conditions on the planning approval, which will help protect the local natural environment and improve road safety.
Currently the changing rooms are open plan and it is proposed the new ones will have cubicles.
Mum Kira Bishop was enjoying the pools with her son John-Ryan Mason, 2, yesterday. She said cubicles would be a good thing, but she was concerned there were no plans for family cubicles.
‘I think overall it’s a good idea,’ she said.
‘It would be great with cubicles, as some children like to use them to change in. Larger cubicles would be good too.’
