Concreting over our green spaces is not the solution

He explores the issue of further development on Guernsey’s limited rural areas and argues that it should be restricted or stopped altogether.

He is quite right. We have a limited supply of fields, wooded areas and other undeveloped land. We should absolutely not allow any more of this to be lost to high density housing estates or any other sort of development.

Our green spaces are a huge part of what makes Guernsey such a great place. We have lost too much already and no more should go.

I include in this argument all the redundant vineries, particularly those in rural areas.

Having spent many years in the local construction industry, I have had a front row seat for much of this loss of green space and it has gone too far.

In the paper on Tuesday 24 May, we see pictures of the start of the work at Kenilworth Vinery. There are before and after shots.

Before, showing a wooded copse type area. After, showing the trees removed and the land scraped clear. How depressing.

Having made this argument, I do fully appreciate that there is a pressing need for more housing units on the island.

This need exists now, with our current population.

We also know that we have a demographic problem and we need to increase the population from its present level to something near 70,000.

There is a solution to this without concreting over our remaining green spaces.

The answer is to concentrate on the numerous brownfield sites or derelict/underutilised areas that exist in and around our urban areas. I know that this is part of the plan at present, but in my view, it should be all of the plan.

In considering development of such areas, the focus should be on maximising density. A good example of this sort of approach is the GHA development of the old bus garage behind the Red Lion.

In seeking to maximise density there should also be a more relaxed approach to the idea of building upwards. The Cour du Parc flats in La Charroterie are a perfectly good blueprint for this sort of housing solution.

JEREMY RIHOY