States may have to debate inert waste disposal again

This follows DPA members voting by a majority to reject plans from Guernsey Waste to create a temporary inert waste pyramid on land at Longue Hougue.

After a meeting yesterday morning the STSB voted unanimously to ask the DPA to reconsider.

Board president Peter Roffey said he spoke to DPA president Victoria Oliver afterwards.

‘I asked that the DPA members reflect on their decision and the consequences that it will have, which include the enormous uncertainty that the construction industry now faces,’ he said.

‘She has advised that simply changing their decision is not possible, so it is hard to see that there is any way forward other than asking the States to set that decision aside.’

The next meeting of the States is in September and Deputy Roffey said STSB would continue to look for a less confrontational approach if possible.

‘But that cannot include a revised, scaled down, application which fails to address the island’s strategic needs in respect of inert waste.

‘That would simply be irresponsible,’ he said.

Warnings about the need for a stockpile had been sounded by STSB for some time given the States’ failure to agree on a future site, he added.

Longue Hougue was agreed by the States in 2020 and with space in the existing land reclamation site due to run out soon, the time to start a new area was now.

‘Failure to do so will mean that within the next few months the island will have no site for managing residual inert waste,’ said Deputy Roffey.

Given the devastating impact this would have on the island’s construction industry, he said the board was duty bound to exhaust every option to prevent it.

‘This situation is highly regrettable but was completely avoidable.

‘Given that there was absolutely no opposition to the application, and planning officers advised that it could be supported within planning policy, it is hard a fathom how the DPA chose to create such an untenable situation.’

If the matter does go to the States and it supports the STSB’s stance, the interim uncertainty could still have a significant impact on the island’s construction companies.

Guernsey Waste had sought to stockpile the waste for a minimum of two-and-a-half years which was the earlier than any new inert waste site could be ready.

However, Deputy Roffey said even that could be an inadequate timescale and if the STSB applied for a shorter period it would be failing in its duty to ensure somewhere to put this waste.

• Under the Land Planning and Development (Guernsey) Law, 2005, any States body wishing to challenge a planning application decision has to take the matter to the States of Deliberation, which can direct the DPA to ‘revoke, reverse, or amend the decision’.