DPA to have final say on proposed Chouet quarry

A public open planning meeting will be held at Beau Sejour next Monday, where the planners, Ronez and representors will lay out their thoughts to the Development & Planning Authority.

Ronez is proposing to initially extract stone from Chouet and process it at its main site at Les Vardes.

But once all extraction at Les Vardes ceases – which could be in the next 10 years – the extraction area at Chouet would be expanded to the west, with all production, processing and dispatch being done from the site.

While the planners have recommended the plans be approved, they suggested a total of 35 conditions – basic applications usually have three. Some of them focus on protecting the public, protected buildings and homes.

There were nine letters of representation sent to the planners from 12 signatories.

They raised concerns about the impact the noise and dust would have on neighbours and the nearby Roc Salt restaurant, and the health impacts these would have.

They were also worried about the site operating between 7am and 4.15pm Monday to Thursday, as well as 7am to 4pm on Fridays and 7am to noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

One request was that blasting be limited to Mondays to limit impact on restaurant customers, and no operations before 8am or at weekends.

Worries about the environmental impact was also raised, with worries about the loss of green space and how it would affect wildlife and ecology.

The States archaeologist was also consulted.

‘My main concerns remain the protection of the pre-Martello tower and associated magazine, and I would also like to see the German tunnel on the western part of the headland preserved if possible,’ Philip de Jersey wrote.

‘I believe that this falls outside the remit of the present application, which as I understand it covers only phases 1 and 2 of the proposed operations, but nevertheless I think it is important to highlight these matters in advance of any future application.’

One of the planners’ conditions was that a structural survey of the adjacent protected monuments – including Tower 10 and its magazine, and La Lochande batteries and stone platform be conducted before any blasting commences.

Updated structural surveys would be undertaken every two years through the operational lifespan of the quarry.

‘[This is] to ensure that the structural integrity of the protected monuments is preserved and that any impacts arising from the operation of the development can be mitigated,’ the planners wrote.

There are other unusual conditions, including site investigations within Torrey Canyon Quarry to check for contaminants and unexploded ordnance before any blasting starts.

‘The headland historically (during the Second World War) had both S mines and Telemines deployed across it,’ the planning report stated.

‘Police hold evidence dating back to 1985 of unexploded munitions in the Torrey Canyon Quarry. It also holds intelligence that historically firearms have been disposed of within the quarry.’

Structural surveys of three neighbouring homes and the restaurant would also have to be done and renewed every two years under the suggested conditions.

Vale constables did not object to the application, appreciating the need for stone aggregate.

‘This headland is really the only realistic place for quarrying to take place and will inconvenience the least number of people,’ they wrote.

• The open planning meeting will be held in Beau Sejour Centre, Cambridge and Delancey Rooms, on Monday, starting at 2pm.