Earthworks ‘had significant detrimental effect’ on area
RETROSPECTIVE planning permission has been granted for some large earthworks above a road close to the Vale School despite the work having a ‘significant detrimental effect’ on the area’s character.
There was a significant landslip in March 2020 at Route des Coutures, with stones and debris closing the road. La Societe Guernesiaise said in the planning report that the landslip was almost inevitable after the land had been stripped of vegetation.
The application to terrace and reprofile the site was made by Framework Developments Ltd.
The planning report said the applicant’s agents had said that steps were then taken to minimise further rock falls into the public highway, to avoid the collapse of the roadside wall and to enable the thoroughfare to be reopened as quickly as possible.
In undertaking the emergency works, material was deposited at the adjoining quarry, the site in question, and the area was subsequently re-profiled.
This application was to deal retrospectively with the work, as well as allow the implementation of a soft landscaping scheme.
Planners did raise some concerns about what had happened.
‘The clearance of the former vegetation on the site in such a comprehensive manner is somewhat unfortunate and has had a significant detrimental effect on the landscape character of the area,’ they wrote in their report.
‘However, the clearance of vegetation did not require permission in its own right and it is accepted that a degree of emergency works were required to stabilise the bank and to enable the public highway to be reopened. The earthworks and re-profiling undertaken are likely to result in a more stable bank to reduce the risk of future landslips and the proposed soft landscaping scheme is largely comprised of native or naturalised species.’
La Societe Guernesiaise, in its comments in the report, said the vegetation clearance and wet winter perhaps made it inevitable that there would be subsidence.
‘While we accept that the land required engineering works to make it safe, we would consider it a priority that natural vegetation is re-established as quickly as feasibly possible,’ they said.
The planners added that after the planting was established, the proposal was likely to make a positive contribution to the area. They hoped the planting would take place this autumn.
One neighbour made a representation, stating that the corner boundary had originally been fenced and should be again, and that an engineer should have final sign-off for the work. The planners said these sort of conditions could not be reasonably imposed.
