Large land reclamation site planned for the Vale

This coastal area from North Pier on the left and around beyond the Vale Castel could be reclaimed

The States department is recommending that Black Rock, the area adjacent to Griffith's Yard at St Sampson's Harbour, be impounded using rock armouring and then infilled with builders' rubble, which is currently being stockpiled at Longue Hougue.

In turn, that would free up Les Vardes Quarry, used by Ronez for stone production, to be used as a new reservoir, which would increase the island's water storage capacity by 45%.

E&I president Lindsay de Sausmarez and colleagues from Guernsey Water and Guernsey Waste outlined the proposals and the reasons behind them to the Vale Douzaine because of the importance of the project to the island.

Droughts
Climate change and the increasing population means Guernsey Water is looking out to beyond 2080 and taking steps to plan for more severe droughts, and wants to use Les Vardes as a large-capacity reservoir.

However, that means the quarry cannot be used for disposing of inert waste, so an alternative site is needed because Longue Hougue is "full" and double-handling the existing material (piling it there and later moving it elsewhere for permanent storage) is very expensive for taxpayers.

Black Rock, basically the area from the North Pier of St Sampson's Harbour to north of the car park in front of the Vale Castle, has been identified as a suitable disposal area, that can be brought into use comparatively quickly.

Planners have given Environment a three-year window to use Longue Hougue so Deputy de Sausmarez explained that the pressure was on to use Black Rock as soon as possible. The wider benefit, identified by the Guernsey Development Agency, is that the reclaimed area can then be used for other purposes – currently up to 350 new homes, including affordable properties.

12 years
If approved by the States, it is anticipated that planning permissions will take about a year followed by a further 18 month construction period before inert waste can be tipped there.

It is expected that the new piers will be up to 9.5m above chart datum – or about the same height as those opposite at Longue Hougue – and that the area will take 12 years or more to fill. Access to the site will be via the current car park opposite the entrance to the Vale Castle.

Questioned by the Vale Douzaine, the panel agreed that using the former Longue Hougue Quarry, now known as the Longue Hougue Reservoir in Bulwer Avenue, would be a good site because that would ultimately create a large area in the heart of the existing industrial zone. However, difficulties including the loss of water storage – Guernsey Water's Steve Langlois said suggestions only the top part of the water could be used because of saltwater ingress were wrong – cliff stability, access and the graves that fell into it years ago meant it would not be ready in time.

Senior Constable Richard Leale thanked Deputy de Sausmarez and her colleagues for a helpful and informative presentation, which would help to form douzaine views on the proposals. 

• The full States report can be found here.