Tree protection order not a political decision

Hillstone Guernsey Limited has been attempting to get permission to build housing on La Pointe Field – opposite the Alliance supermarket access – for two years.

The first proposal for eight dwellings was rejected in mid-2019 after eight months of consideration.

It was refused on the grounds that the design was poor and there was no need for four-bedroom houses in Guernsey – the design was for three two-bed, four three-bed and one four-bed houses.

A new application June 2019 for six houses was turned down in March this year and this is the application that Hillstone Guernsey Ltd is appealing.

This application was rejected on the grounds that the 46 trees around the site were protected. However, the tree protection order was imposed only on 25 October last year.

The owner of the field submitted the API request as part of his pending appeal. He queried whether the TPO was confirmed by the States of Guernsey on 18 December.

In response, a States of Guernsey spokesman said that States committee meeting minutes were not publicly available documents, but an overview from the Development & Planning Authority meeting from 18 December was provided.

They confirmed the meeting was attended by D&PA members Dawn Tindall, Victoria Oliver, Lester Queripel and Alderney representative Alex Snowdon. Deputy Barry Paint was not present.

‘A Tree Protection Order at La Pointe, Braye Road, was considered and the committee agreed to confirm the order without modification, other than some minor factual amendments to the text of the Tree Protection Order notice itself,’ the API statement reads.

‘The committee requested confirmation of the date of the States’ arboricultural officer’s first report in order to demonstrate that the decision to initiate a Tree Protection Order had not been made at political level, but rather was made under delegated authority.’

The appeal is tentatively scheduled for early September.