Our heritage is being destroyed

Many are voicing their concerns about the development of sites such as Les Blanches, Cobo, Le Grais Farm and the Braye Road, to name but a few, not only through this column, but also by making representation to the appropriate States committees, as well as posting comments on social media platforms.

Yet our voices are not being heard.

The developers seem to know how to work the system, which Planning Services seem unable to detect. A classic example is Le Grais Farm. This was purchased by the Fuller Group at the end of 2017, beginning of 2018, and an application made for change of use to a self-storage facility, with supporting evidence being provided by Lovell Ozanne & Partners. One of the points made by the Fuller Group was that there was no demand for modern agricultural buildings. Really? I know there are young people on the island who would like to set up farming businesses and Le Grais Farm would have been an ideal site. Unfortunately, the asking price at the time was hugely inflated. There is also still a demand for stabling facilities, the last known use for Le Grais Farm. Permission was granted to the Fuller Group for change of use to self-storage in August 2018. Less than four months later, the Fuller Group, now trading under the name St Peter’s Storage Park Limited, had its first consultation with Planning Services for a further change of use from self-storage to residential.

I objected to the first change of use and most recently to the second application for residential development. I have also written to the deputies of my district highlighting the application and have to date only received one response. Where else can a Guernseyman go for help? To what level of authority do we have to go for an acknowledgement of our concerns and for questions to be answered? Is there any deputy on this island who will join their fellow islanders in the fight to preserve our heritage?

Another example is the Strawberry Farm, which was also purchased by the Fuller Group, and was eventually developed into a residential site, by the same method of making a number of applications for change of use. While I understand that Planning Services will work using guidelines and rules, I’m not sure they are taking the quality of island life into consideration. The letter of acknowledgement I received from Planning Services states that it is unable to consider non-planning matters such as the effect of development on the value of property or private views.

I would have thought their primary objective would be to preserve Guernsey by protecting its greenfield and agricultural sites, before it’s too late? There are other sites available for development in existing residential areas without spoiling what little countryside we have left. Development companies like the Fuller Group, with no loyalty to our island home, will continue to ravage the island until there are no more opportunities left and then no doubt move on to another unsuspecting community and repeat their methods, all for profit.

KEITH LAMBOTTE

La Cite,

Rue de Quanteraine,

St Peter’s,

GY7 9DQ.

Editor’s footnote: the Fuller Group declined to comment.