Grow wants to raise £1.5m. to replace its greenhouses

The announcement comes as the Development & Planning Authority board gave unanimous approval at an open planning meeting on Friday at Sir Charles Frossard House.

Guernsey’s Rural Occupational Workshop is a charity that provides a safe and secure working environment where people with learning and other disabilities can build up their self respect and confidence levels. But the existing glasshouse site is dated and needs upgrading. The planning permission will allow the charity to erect replacement glasshouses and buildings at the Petits Quartiers vinery site.

Charity director Angus Bodman said they were very pleased to clear this hurdle and it meant they could now focus on fundraising.

‘We felt we received a very fair hearing from the committee and they understood all the implications of what we are trying to do,’ he said.

The planning application had been recommended for approval and had received support from Health & Social Care and St Sampson’s Constables.

In total the project will cost between £2.5m. and £3m.

‘First we need to raise £1.5m. by next September,’ he said.

‘It will ensure we have the confidence to get shovels in the ground.

‘We know the building time is 18 months, and that would give us the confidence to know we could raise the balance over the ensuing period.’

He said the Friends of Grow – known as the Frogs – had lots of ideas for fundraisers and were hopeful they could get to the target they needed, so work could start next autumn.

He added that as a charity with 35 years experience, they were quite well known and that meant islanders understood the work they were undertaking and benefits a project like this would have.