Temporary closure of Hougue Jehannet could be permanent

The road has already been shut for more than three years, after it was first closed temporarily due to security concerns.

A public meeting is being organised later this month at Guernsey Electricity will explain why it wants it shut permanently.

Vale junior constable Bill Cohu said the road’s closure had often been discussed at Vale douzaine meetings since it was first closed in 2020.

‘But until they give the reasons at the meeting, we won’t know why they want to shut it permanently,’ he said.

‘Unfortunately I expect there will be only a few people turning out. We would really need people to come and put their hands up and tell us why they still want it open.

‘Once it’s closed, it’s closed.

‘It used to be a regular cut through for a lot of people, and it was also used as a diversion when other roads were shut, and if it is to be closed there should be a good reason.’

The meeting is at 6pm on Wednesday 23 August at the Vale Douzaine Room.

The utility company will set out its reasons for closing the road, which runs from Summerfield Road through to North Side, and take questions.

Vale senior constable Richard Leale said he was pleased that Guernsey Electricity was finally proposing some definitive action, following years of the ‘temporary’ closure. He said that several States committees had declined to take matters forward.

Mr Leale said making the temporary closure permanent would entail asking the Royal Court for permission to do so.

‘We’ve been told as a douzaine that the closure is required on grounds of security – but not terrorist-related – and look forward to the “hearts and minds” meeting when we expect more detail on those reasons and an explanation why security can’t be improved without total closure or at least retaining foot and bicycle access,’ he said.

‘I hope people take the opportunity to attend as this matter is now coming to a decision point.’

GE said that permanently closing the road would significantly reduce the risk of unauthorised access to the site.

Sharon Watchorn, head of business planning, said that it was engaging with local businesses and residents over the closure. All were welcome to attend the public meeting.

By law, the next stage of the closure process would be for the constables to arrange a public meeting on site at Hougue Jehannet at which the company would again set out its reasons for stopping people from using the road and to hear any opposition from individuals or businesses who might be affected.

Constables would then prepare a report of that meeting, which would form part of the submission to the Royal Court for the jurats to consider the case for closure.

Closure first brought up in 2015 after Paris attacks

THE closure of Hougue Jehannet, was first mooted in 2015 when Guernsey Police carried out a full security and risk assessment of the power station.

This followed a meeting of the Multi Agency Counter Terrorism Risk Assessment Group, held after attacks in Paris and elsewhere.

Specialist officers from the UK visited critical island infrastructure sites and their findings were submitted to the Home Department.

A full risk assessment was carried out by Guernsey Electricity, Special Branch and the States emergency planning officer in July 2017, which recommended closure of the road, as the control room, two of the generators, transformers, and distribution switch rooms were within 10 metres of it.

The matter was brought before Home Affairs in 2018, but then-president Mary Lowe, a Vale States member for many years, said that the committee determined it did not consider it had sufficient evidence to support the closure at that time.

In March 2020, Home Affairs, by then with Vale douzenier and Deputy Jeremy Smithies as a member, changed its position and supported the closure.

A traffic impact assessment that was carried out in October 2018 showed that pedestrian usage was low, with about 15 people using it over five days.

Most of the traffic movements related to GE or the Liberation Group warehouse, sited close to the junction with Summerfield Road.

Someone who lives in nearby, who did not want to be named, questioned the security reasons for closing the road that Guernsey Electricity had used in the past.

‘It’s been really inconvenient to have it shut, but the States are going to do what they want.

‘It’s a fait accompli. It’s like the consultation with all the money-saving ideas, they only ask so they can say they’ve asked,’ they said.