Pitronnerie field neighbours still worried about housing
Neighbours of the Pitronnerie field, which recently went on the market for almost £5m., have said they still hope to prevent it being turned into housing.
The field is being marketed as having the potential for 72 homes, with 103 parking spaces. The site was first flagged as a possible housing site by planners in 2021, when a draft development framework was published.
Pitronnerie Protection Group was set up when the field was first identified as being suitable for development.
Member Jamie Baker was surprised at the £4.95m. asking price.
‘For that money you would think planning permission was already in place,’ he said.
‘But there are still a lot of hurdles they will have to jump through before a spade goes in the ground.’
Like other neighbours he raised concerns over flooding and traffic.
‘It floods all the time, and you have to ask what will happen to that water if the field is developed? There will have to be reports and surveys done and that will cost a quarter of a million,’ he said.
‘There are buses flying up and down the road all the time and I don’t think the roads can take the extra traffic. The States have said it can, but they did their traffic survey during half term when it is much quieter.’
Joan Rouget, who lives next to the field, said that many of her neighbours had lost heart over saving the field.
‘It is a fait accompli, the States don’t seem to care about the impact on the area,’ she said.
‘I’m just surprised they were thinking of building in a field that gets so waterlogged.
‘I know people have to live somewhere, but they should be focusing on derelict properties. We have so many eyesores, just look at some of the abandoned hotels and the empty shops and properties in Mill Street. I have seen the plans for the area and with traffic thinking of making La Vrangue [the road to the south of the field] one-way because it is so busy.
'You have to question whether these government departments talk to each other.’
However, another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said they would actually welcome housing on the field.
‘When we moved in 10 years ago we always assumed it would become housing,’ he said.
‘And some housing might actually block the wind a bit, which can be quite harsh.’
However, even though he was supportive of the field's development he raised concerns over traffic and flooding.
‘The traffic is very busy around here especially in the mornings, and extra housing would impact that,’ he said.
‘Flooding is also a worry and there would have to be adequate and well thought-out drainage to alleviate any problems.’
