L'Ancresse wall's lack of upkeep 'criminal'

It really is criminal that Environment & Infrastructure has allowed this eastern area of the wall to get to this state and then only spend £20,000 on a patch-up job. This is years of neglect, as you can see by the way the toe is splitting away and the hole that is appearing where it joins the toe that is still in reasonable condition. They now want to mitigate their neglect in spending well in excess of £1m. pulling it down with the possible loss of the:

• Kiosk

• The toilets

• The slipway, according to Deputy Brehaut, used by the elderly and infirm to access the beach

• Not to mention the loss of common land and the existing pedestrian/cycle path

• An important piece of our history of the German occupation

• Possibly the loss of this area of the beach for two to four years while the sea finds its own level and washes out the mud, sand and rock.

• Add two large granite groynes the height of the existing wall and extending 30-35 metres down the beach.

Half of that amount above could provide proper repairs to the toe of the wall, which in turn would put that wall back into good order for many years to come.

The wall itself in front of the kiosk is as straight as a die and the only reason for its future deterioration is a total lack of maintenance on the toe area shown in the photo. The sand is not being lost, but of course varies from season to season. This area is a brilliant amenity enjoyed by thousands of islander and visitors alike and should be maintained, not destroyed.

GARY BLANCHFORD

gblanchford@cwgsy.net

Editor's footnote: Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services replies:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this letter.

The proposals aim to provide a stable long-term solution restoring a part of the warm, sandy and accessible L'Ancresse beach area that existed before the war. The extra expenditure now will create a more welcoming and useable beach and will avoid burdening the island with the continuing maintenance costs and inevitable further expense to repair the structure in the future.

Unfortunately much of the comment in your reader's letter is based on misunderstanding or misinformation regarding the wall, the current proposals and the results of the detailed underlying research.

In this circumstance, it is best to recommend that the author, and readers who wish to be informed on this subject, refer to the full and accurate explanations and information available online at https://www.gov.gg/lancresse where clear and researched detail is available.

This is the same information that was made available at two public meetings in early June.