Parishioners vent anger about Pointues Rocques at drop-in
ANGER was the feeling of most parishioners at Saturday’s St Sampson’s douzaine drop-in ahead of this week’s open planning meeting to decide the future of the proposed housing site at Pointues Rocques.
The potential development has been a point of contention among people in the parish for some time.
Up to 68 homes could be built there under the current plans which planning officers are backing.
But concerns about traffic in the area and the density of population were again raised by parishioners.
‘I’ve been looking at it for a long time and I’m against it because of traffic. If you go up to the Robergerie at school time you are taking your life in your hands,’ said retired electrical engineer Roger Litten.
He said the area was already dangerous with motorists speeding through the lanes.
‘The States don’t do proactive planning, they do reactive planning.’
A steady flow of people had stopped to talk with the constables and douzeniers about worries they had if the plans went ahead.
‘The first phase would mean a population of more than Torteval,’ said parishioner Les Gallienne.
‘We wouldn’t be able to cope. It’s about getting from A to B, it’s a joke.’
Politicians on the Development & Planning Authority will make the final decision at the meeting on whether the housing development goes ahead.
Deputy Carl Meerveld lives at L’Islet. He said he had concerns about overdevelopment in the north of the island.
‘I’m very concerned about developing the north of the island without first addressing infrastructure issues like sewage and electricity,’ he said.
‘The current application for Pointues Rocques meets planning requirements so it will be up to the public to raise the issues.’
He intends to be at the meeting in person to hear the number of representations being made.
n The meeting is taking place at Beau Sejour on Wednesday starting at 9.30am.
