The site by Mont Cuet, in the north of the island, was leased to the States some 30 years ago as an emergency landfill site. The lease expired in November 2000, without being formally extended.
The States undertook to contour, restore and reseed the land.
Arrangements were also discussed for additional States-owned land to be transferred to the trust for a nominal £1.
‘We have been contractually in an agreement with the States that they would return the site to us for nearly 20 years now,’ said National Trust of Guernsey president Mike Brown.
‘We have been trying every year to get the site transferred, but it’s unfortunately been quite low on their priorities. However, thanks to a Crown Officer who is really good, we’ve got there.’
The land conveyed stretches well beyond the original field used for landfill and covers the wider Creve Coeur area. The trust has also acquired more adjoining land, which will allow it to manage the coastal landscape as a whole.
‘This is a very large area of land that has been completely protected from human interference for over 30 years, so it is a perfect place for plants, animals and birds to have thrived,’ said Mr Brown.
‘It’s always important to link areas of land together because then wildlife can use it as a corridor to get from A to B.
‘If somebody developed buildings in the middle, it would stop the wildlife being able to spread.’
The trust is now working on plans for the site, with some of the work to be funded by Ronez.
‘We’re going to take a deep breath and consider all the plans that we have been debating for the last 25 years,’ said Mr Brown.
‘We don’t know what we’re going to do with it yet, but we’re really grateful that Ronez has generously agreed to fund some of the work.’
He said the key question was how much of the site should be open to the public, given its importance for wildlife.
One suggestion is to open it to National Trust members two days a year.
Another is to open half to the public and keep the other half protected for wildlife.
‘We haven’t decided yet, but nothing is off the table,’ he said.