Guernsey Press

Flooding concerns for proposed housing development sites

POTENTIAL flooding on sites of proposed housing developments is a concern for St Sampson’s officials.

Published
Left to right: St Sampson’s douzeniers Brad Le Flock, Adrian Dilcock and David Hugo outside the St Sampson’s Douzaine Room, which faces the former Duval Vinery site. (Picture by Karl Dorfner, 32897077)

Guernsey Housing Association projects in the north of the island are believed to be held up by a report that raised serious concerns about potential flooding in the Braye du Valle – a strip of reclaimed land, which includes Leale’s Yard, Kenilworth Vinery and the former Data Park site.

Most of these sites fall within St Sampson’s, and flooding has been seen in recent weeks.

Applications for housing on Fontaine Vinery were submitted in 2022, but have since been withdrawn. However there has been progress on the site, with demolition of the former Duval Vinery – to the north of the main vinery site and part of the housing area.

The parish has a new Dean –experienced douzenier David Hugo – as well as three new douzeniers. The douzeniers normally do stream and douit inspections in June and October, but now the volunteers are looking to do an inspection to see how wet the drainage channels are at this time of year, following a very wet winter.

Mr Hugo said they would be interested to see the GHA’s flooding report.

‘There have been issues with flooding in the parish, particularly of late,’ he said.

Junior constable Adrian Dilcock said checking the streams would give a better idea of how wet these areas are.

And they are worried about the Fontaine Vinery site.

‘It’s below sea level and there is not much drainage,’ he said.

‘It’s going to be challenging [to build on].’

Another worry is the traffic. It is understood the northern parishes transport strategy is nearly ready to be published.

The parish has already been given a presentation on some of the findings, but cannot discuss them publicly at this stage.

‘I found it fascinating, but nothing surprised me,’ said Mr Dilcock.

‘I think there will be lots of discussions [when it comes out].’

The officials were speaking at last week’s parish drop-in, which is held on Saturdays before States meetings. Despite there being a number of big issues in the parish, such as traffic and development, no members of the public came along to the two-hour event. Despite this, the officials said it was important to be available for parishioners to talk to them.