States votes for water over waste at Les Vardes

Inert waste will be disposed of instead in a land reclamation project at Black Rock, near the Vale Castle, as part of the Guernsey Development Agency’s plans to regenerate the Bridge.

The Black Rock scheme was approved with only two deputies voting against, but the proposal to turn Les Vardes into the island’s largest reservoir was carried by 19 votes to 14, a majority of five, with six members abstaining.

The Environment & Infrastructure Committee had spent the best part of four years studying future demand for water and a range of potential sites for inert waste.

‘This is one of those rare things – the opportunity for the States to make a decision on long-term infrastructure based on comprehensive analysis that takes the bigger picture and time horizon into account,’ said E&I president Lindsay de Sausmarez.

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‘It’s a decision that will affect generations to come. If the Assembly supports the proposal set out in this policy letter, we will be putting in place a strong foundation to enable economic growth and community wellbeing over the coming decades.

‘If we don’t make that decision, we will be creating a less secure and more expensive legacy for our political successors, our fellow islanders and our own children and grandchildren.’

Ronez, which owns Les Vardes, is still using it for stone crushing and other activities, having moved stone extraction from there to Chouet last year. Quarrying is expected to resume at Les Vardes in about four years’ time before ceasing permanently around 2034.

The Assembly was told of negotiations with Ronez which were likely to result in the States buying the quarry, although some members believed that no such negotiations were ongoing.

The States first allocated Les Vardes for future freshwater storage nearly 20 years ago, but that policy had faced increasing opposition since Ronez advised in 2021 that part of the site could be available to take inert waste within four years, prompting E&I to start its extensive review of water and waste policies.

Though Guernsey has not seen water restrictions since 1997, the committee concluded that the island’s storage capacity was becoming increasingly inadequate and that its predecessors had been right to assume that more would be needed in future.

‘I’m afraid we cannot wait,’ said Deputy de Sausmarez.

‘The island does not currently have enough water to supply homes and businesses in the event of a severe drought. In those circumstances, with current water storage resources, there would be a deficit of approximately three million litres of water per day.

‘Infrastructure projects of this scale and complexity take many years to investigate, plan, develop and deliver. That requires significant commitment of time, resources and investment. Guernsey Water therefore needs clear direction to commence planning.’

A desalination plant had been considered as an alternative to additional water storage but E&I had calculated that it would be more expensive and require more energy to operate.

The committee also investigated using Les Vardes for inert waste for 10 years and then turning over the remainder of the quarry to water storage. It could find no precedent for freshwater storage above an inert waste disposal site and was concerned that such a novel approach could undermine public confidence in the water supply.

Inert waste is currently stockpiled at Longue Hougue. Disposal at Black Rock is estimated to be possible for about 12 years from 2028.

‘It will also support the GDA’s work to create much-needed housing and flood defences and regenerate the Bridge, which will play a key role in growing our economy,’ said Deputy de Sausmarez.’

The schemes at Les Vardes and Black Rock have been assessed as cost effective relative to alternative options, but financial and other details will need to be presented to the next Assembly.