GHA seeks to reassure about Fontaine Vinery development

But despite there being some interest, there were many more people at the previous week’s douzaine drop-in who expressed their concerns about the plans.

GHA chief executive Steve Williams said it had met the douzaine the Monday after the parish event.

‘They raised a number of questions, some of which we were able to address. I think in the future we will try to get in earlier with them,’ he said.

Saturday’s event had been useful, he believed, and the GHA had eased the fears of several people.

‘A couple who live down Victoria Avenue had concerns, but talking things through with them helped them understand that there will be a buffer of countryside up to Victoria Avenue, so they were reassured.’

For those attending the Church on the Rock to look at the plans there were artist’s impressions and computer-generated walk-throughs of the site as it is planned to look. Many were surprised to see that the buildings along Le Murier will be set back from the road and lower down the site, with a footpath and cycle path between them and the road.

The buildings are a mix of two and three storey, and include one-bedroom flats and two- and three-bedroom houses.

James Barker from Create architects said that planners would have allowed higher buildings but it was decided to not go down this route. ‘When we looked at the buildings in the surrounding area we felt that putting in buildings that were too high would have been inappropriate,’ he told one concerned resident.

This was Sandra De La Mare, who said she was surprised by what she saw. ‘I must admit, it’s nicer than I expected. I was worried my house would just face a block of houses. Provided everybody looks after their property it will look nice.’

A total of 91 homes are included in the first phase of the plans, but this could rise to 133 if the GHA is able to purchase neighbouring Duval Vinery.

As well as the houses, there are plans for a shallow pond that will act as both a feature and a way of dealing with heavy rainfall, a green area that will be available to anyone and a series of cycle paths. The aim of the cycle paths is for people to be able to ride from the St Sampson’s constables’ office to Town without having to use a main road. There were some people who were worried about the increase in traffic from the site.

‘We live in Church Road and we’ve been moaning about the traffic for years,’ said one man.

‘When they put traffic lights at Bulwer Avenue people started using our road as a slip road.’

They were concerned that the new development would see a rise in cars in the area.