Loss of land concerns
MORE than 300 vergees of agricultural land, the size of approximately 75 football pitches, were converted into gardens in Guernsey in the five-year period up to 2021.
Some of that land was classed as ‘agricultural priority area’, considered ideal for dairy farming.
The statistics were revealed in the States by Deputy Victoria Oliver, the president of Development & Planning, in response to questions from Deputy David De Lisle.
Between 2016 and 2020 a total of 307 vergees of agricultural land was converted into what planners call ‘domestic curtilage’, which is effectively gardens.
Deputy De Lisle was concerned that about the loss of agricultural land, and that the number of change of use applications was continuing ‘unabated’.
After announcing the figures, Deputy Oliver cautioned that it did not reflect the full picture.
‘It should however be noted that the legal definition of the agricultural land is used, and as that definition is wide it does not necessarily give an accurate representation of the amount of land which is actively farmed or land lost from active agricultural use which is likely to considered less than these figures suggest.’
Deputy Yvonne Burford highlighted the loss of biodiversity that the agricultural land had provided.
Deputy Lyndon Trott asked how much additional agricultural land the island would enjoy if all the derelict greenhouses full of brambles were cleared. The answer was that Deputy Oliver did not know, but she assured the Assembly that she would ask her officers to respond in writing to all unanswered questions.
From 1 September this year, householders wanting to extend the domestic curtilage of their homes have to include biodiversity enhancement information showing the environmental benefits of the development in their planning application.
The move followed a review and monitoring of applications for change of use of land to gardens.
However, Deputy De Lisle said it did not go far enough.
‘Due to the concerns over the loss of agricultural land by the farming fraternity and members of the public, which is recorded now as over 300 vergees... will the Development & Planning Authority support the introduction of other means of control besides the recently announced assessment of biodiversity criteria of land, including introducing a law to control sales and leases of agricultural land that’s already existing in Jersey?’
Deputy Oliver said the bar was already very high with priority areas, and the DPA had to be sensible and proportionate.
‘The States has to, as a whole, just have to have faith in the authority because we are looking at it, we are trying to do everything we can to change the IDP within our powers through minor departures, and all I can say is that we are looking at curtilage and change of use from agricultural land so I think it’s a matter of watching this space to see what we’re allowed to do and what we can’t do.
‘If it’s any material changes, it won’t be done for two years.’
