The planners said that housing was more important than nature on the northern site.
Developer Hillstone had initially applied for 10 houses on a garden and adjacent agricultural land known as Habitat, formerly known as Fairfield, on Rue Des Barras.
That was withdrawn due to its impact on biodiversity but was followed by a 14 three-storey, two-bed home proposal, with a more detailed biodiversity report.
There were 15 representations to the initial plans and 15 further letters for the revised application.
They raised concerns about the impacts on agricultural land, biodiversity, parking and road safety.
La Societe Guernesiaise was also dissatisfied with the initial and revised applications, saying the ecological survey was inadequate and the poor design of the biodiversity features, such as having a narrow wildflower bed in a shaded area.
The site is just within the Bridge main centre outer boundary – the boundary runs alongside two sides of the site.
This means that new housing can be considered for the site.
The planners noted that the eastern part of the site was classed as agricultural, but was not part of an Agriculture Priority Area.
‘Taking into account the small size of the part of the site that is classified as agricultural land, the vegetated nature of that part of the site, the relationship to surrounding property and the boundaries to adjacent agricultural land, it is unlikely that this part of the site would be used for commercial agriculture, and there would be no policy justification for refusal of the application on the basis of loss of agricultural land,’ the planners said.
The report also looked at the impact on biodiversity.
‘The proposed development would result in the wholesale loss of existing habitats at the site,’ planners noted.
‘In this location, policy direction is, however, to support housing development, and to make an efficient and effective use of land, while achieving practical and realistic biodiversity enhancements where possible.’
The developer did propose planting trees, hedging and green walls.
The planners said that notwithstanding the absence of a detailed ecological report, it was recognised that the proposed landscaping scheme was unlikely to replicate the existing ecological value of the site.
Permission for development on this land, particularly at the density proposed, would likely inhibit use of the site by wildlife.
‘However, given the plan support for housing development and effective and efficient use of land in this location,' they said.
'It is considered, on balance, and subject to alterations to the details of the scheme as set out above, that the enhancements proposed are sufficient to meet the aims of policy.’
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