Planning authority praised as ‘ludicrous’ rules are waived
PLANNING applications will no longer be required for a wide range of minor changes to properties in Guernsey, after States members approved a move by the Development & Planning Authority to encourage various forms of regeneration.
Several deputies praised the DPA and its president, Victoria Oliver, for introducing measures that should oil the wheels of economic development and home improvements at the same time, removing many rules that some had come to believe were ludicrous.
Deputy Heidi Soulsby gave the example of the dead hedge on her own property. She said she was flabbergasted when discovering that she would need planning permission to replace it with a new, living hedge.
That is one obligation that has been relaxed, though not entirely removed, as a result of yesterday’s vote. The exemption will only apply if certain conditions are met, such as the replacement being made up of native species and the work being done outside of bird nesting season.
Other expanded exemptions relate to sheds, poly-tunnels, traffic mirrors, signage, dog litter bins and solar panels.
A good deal of debate centred around the move to exempt some derelict hotel sites from requiring planning permission for a change of use to residential.
Deputy Oliver’s vice-president, Andrew Taylor, explained his consistent opposition to this change. He argued that some very large sites, such as the former L’Eree Hotel, were currently very restricted but that government would suddenly lose any control over them because islanders are allowed to ‘express themselves through their homes’.
He argued it was unfair that the sites chosen to be exempted – the former hotels known as Idlerocks, St Margaret’s Lodge and the Chalet – had only got on the list because they happened not to have renewed their boarding permits as at the end of last year.
Deputy Oliver interrupted to observe that it was not possible to renew a boarding permit for a building where the roof had burnt down.
Deputy Peter Ferbrache declared an interest, as owner of a one-third stake in each of the Manor and Carlton Hotels, and rebuked Deputy Taylor for his attitude towards hotel owners who had been unable to make their properties profitable.
‘There’s no harm in people making money from property, as long as it’s done reasonably,’ he said. ‘There’s no harm in people saying “I can’t afford to continue running this hotel or this guest house or this area of self-catering because I’m losing money by the bucket load”.’
He described the sites as blots on the landscape that needed to go.
Deputy Yvonne Burford was concerned that owners of failed visitor accommodation sites might be incentivised to let their properties go to ruin in order to take advantage of a future round of similar exemptions.
As the standard 5.30pm finish time approached, Deputy Lester Queripel successfully laid a guillotine motion to cease debate and enable Deputy Oliver to sum up.
The proposition regarding the derelict hotel sites was carried by 28 votes to six, with three abstentions (including the two Alderney representatives) and two members absent. Those joining Deputy Taylor in opposition were Deputies Yvonne Burford, Tina Bury, John Gollop, Sam Haskins and Lester Queripel.
All other propositions were carried without opposition.
