‘I don’t want planning to be seen as quick-fee exercise’
THE island’s planning department is aiming to ditch its image as an office mired in red tape.
A consultation is under way on plans to increase the number of exemptions to the planning application process.
Victoria Oliver, the president of the Development & Planning Authority, said the overhaul would align with the overall direction of the Island Development Plan.
‘There’s nothing within the Island Development Plan that says that any of these things couldn’t go ahead,’ she said.
Deputy Oliver said she was concerned that Planning was being perceived to take fees for a rubber-stamping exercise.
‘I don’t want planning to be seen as quick-fee, I want it to be a very good service, and if staff don’t have to do all the rubber-stamping exercises they can really get their teeth into the proper in-depth planning that should be going on for the much larger sites.
‘I’ve wanted to do this for ages, we’ve really worked hard as a committee and we’ve probably put a bit of stress on the officers, but we’re getting it done, and hopefully by September or October the States will agree to what we’ve done.’
Planning guidelines on exemptions do appear quite complicated.
An external domestic boiler will generally not require planning permission, but a flue for a wood burning stove does.
An allotment will not require a planning permission, but a fence around it would do.
A satellite dish antenna needs permission but solar panels do not.
Deputy Oliver said the project was about minor works, so islanders could rest assured there were no plans to concrete over countryside and ride roughshod over neighbours’ concerns.
‘I do want to be seen as a facilitator, but also while protecting what Guernsey truly loves about Guernsey.
‘You may see the odd shed go up, and say for example a pig farmer can’t, at the moment, put a small shelter on there, it’s things like that. We’re just using our common sense to allow people to enable their businesses, and to allow people to do what they want on their property if it doesn’t affect their neighbours.
‘Obviously many changes will still need building control, it’s not a free- for-all.
‘We still want the standard of building to be high, that’s what Guernsey is used to and that part won’t be changing.’
