Guernsey Press

Belle Greve at low tide reveals its secret, hidden playground

I AM a 14-year-old who is really upset to be hearing that a place I really love and have grown up with as one of my playgrounds, is probably going to be filled in with builders’ rubbish. By this I mean Belle Greve North.

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This gorgeous beach is a place where my parents often took us to play when we were little. It is such an amazing and interesting beach. We loved to play hide and seek with our friends and cousins among the bigger rocks – I defy anyone to find me even now in my special hiding places. It was also fun, when we were really little, to imagine that the unusual smooth rocks were horses to sit astride, or dragons to ‘ride upon.’ Sometimes the rocks were a safe refuge for playing shark infested waters on the pebbles.

I still love to visit the rock pools with my family and I would really hate to see this wide range of sea life being destroyed for ever. I am told that this is an area that is supposed to be preserved because of its biodiversity. How, then, can the deputies want to go against this ruling and then spoil the coastline and nearby land for ever? There are some types of marine plants that I don’t think I’ve seen in other bays – surely this needs to be investigated further as to whether these species can be protected, before any vote seals the deal.

Last year we went on to the low water line at an ormering tide to try to get some ormers. Sadly, other people had got to them before us, but seeing the full stretch of this lovely bay, with its rocks, seaweeds and sandy sections that only show themselves at this very low tide, like a secret hidden playground, makes me even sadder to think that this beautiful bay might soon no longer exist.

My family tell me that the deputies are going to vote on whether or not to fill in Belle Greve North soon.

I think, however, that they should think again about this. I think that they should decide on other possible places that they could put their waste BEFORE they get to vote in a couple of weeks’ time. At school, we have visits from the recycling people who are always telling us we should recycle our rubbish. Why don’t the deputies set us a good example and make it easier for builders to recycle more, or find ways to stop creating so much waste materials in the first place?

I’m always hearing from my parents that everything costs money, but surely this is a good thing to spend money on.

I really hope that other people will agree with my opinions and will tell their deputies as much. I would love to hear the deputies’ replies to my ideas.

Naomi Davis,

St Sampson’s,