‘Heavy heart’ as plans for 68 homes approved
SIXTY-EIGHT homes can be built at Pointues Rocques after politicians on the Development & Planning Authority unanimously approved the latest plans for the former vinery site with ‘a heavy heart’ yesterday.
At an open planning meeting last October, politicians voted against the controversial development at St Sampson’s despite the recommendation from planning officers that it should be approved.
Yesterday, before 50 representors and interested parties in the theatre at Beau Sejour, they voted to pass an amended version of the plans.
DPA president deputy Victoria Oliver told the public meeting that the 125 representations submitted opposing the scheme had captured the issues well.
‘This has been a difficult decision, which shows what’s wrong with our government as a whole, and there needs to be more joined-up decision-making,’ she said.
Committee member Deputy John Dyke said the committee were bound by decisions of the previous one.
‘I’m not happy with this development as the density is too high, but if we turn it down, it will get overturned on appeal,’ he said.
Among other committee members, Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller said the decision exemplified the challenges which the committee faced at large.
People’s views had been taken seriously, but there was a need for housing.
Vice-president Deputy Andy Taylor said the scheme was an attractive one and well designed, but he had genuine concerns about the traffic and disagreed with the findings of a traffic impact assessment, as well as the site location.
‘I just wish it was in St Peter’s,’ he said.
St Sampson’s junior constable Leonie Le Tissier said some parishioners who attended the meeting had been too upset to speak afterwards, but the decision had not surprised her.
‘The way the planning report was worded, especially from Traffic & Highway Services and the director of planning [Jim Rowles], it was clear that any effect that further development in the area might have on this one had been ignored,’ she said.
‘The development framework carried too much weight in the decision taken today, particularly in regards to the density of the site.’
It was clear there was a disconnect between Environment & Infrastructure and the DPA, she said.
