Fontaine firm hopes latest IDP proposals will be set in stone
A STONEMASONS business, which has lost staff and trade due to uncertainty about Fontaine Vinery’s future, is hoping to rebuild now it looks as if the St Sampson’s site could be designated for industrial use for the long term.
The site opposite St Sampson’s Douzaine Room had been earmarked for housing for decades. But in a sharp change of direction, the latest Island Development Plan review proposals have flagged that the site would be better suited for industrial use, with future housing developments shifted to other sites.
The four industrial companies based at the former Fontaine and Belgrave vineries have had an uncertain five years, with the threat of being moved on hanging over the heads.
Vaudin Stone Group, which has been based on the site for some 35 years and comprises of sister firms Vaudin Stonemasons and Guernsey Memorial Masons, is one of the companies that has been affected. Managing director Lance Vaudin said he had lost staff, business and stock because of various threatened changes over the years.
‘We’re pleased we’re not getting kicked out, but it’s been a terrible five years not knowing,’ he said.
The Vaudin Stone Group is the company that has been on the vinery site the longest, said Mr Vaudin. Before moving to the vinery, as a smaller company it moved around the island from site to site.
The area was already designated for housing when the Vaudin Stone Group moved to the vinery.
‘We were trying to find an alternative place, but we could not find one,’ said Mr Vaudin.
‘We had a couple of good leads, but either the owners backed out or it wasn’t feasible.’
It was even suggested that the company should apply to the National Trust to go onto its land and display work for a tourist and community attraction.
Sites for heavy industry and builders’ yards have dwindled over the years.
Mr Vaudin said that stonework took up a large area, adding that the company has never had any complaints about noise and carries out its loudest work away from housing areas.
‘The size we need to operate is significant, storage takes up a big area.’
Vaudin Stone Group is now down to a handful of employees because of the situation.
‘In our prime we would’ve been employing 20 to 30 people,’ said Mr Vaudin.
‘On one side we’re happy, on the other side we’ve had to sell off stock and machinery, and get rid of some of our assets in case we had to move.’
Mr Vaudin said there had been little communication from the States Property Unit over the past few years.
‘The States only really asked us to move out once officially in writing.’
That deadline came and went with no communication from either side.
The Fontaine Vinery site is also the location of the main sewage pumping station in the north of the island and moving the site would have been expensive and difficult.
The cost of building and preparing land for housing would have been significant and the vinery is area is prone to flooding.
‘Yes, we’re very happy, but on reflection we’re not jumping for joy,’ said Mr Vaudin.
Mr Vaudin said that if the proposals were to be approved by the States, he would aim to rebuild the company back to the scale of where it was five years ago.
