Salvage yard development rejection 'significant' for parish

A proposal to develop what was described as an architectural salvage yard in an narrow northern lane has been rejected by planners following objections lodged by the Vale Douzaine and others.

Applicants Wastenot Ltd applied to demolish redundant glasshouses at La Maraive Vinery, Rue de la Maraive, above, and build large sheds to house reclaimed items such as sanitary ware, cast iron products, wood and granite setts.

The development attempt – and its rejection – has implications for the parish because of the way it was handled by the Douzaine and by planners.

Vale Senior Constable Richard Leale initially expressed concerns about the plans when they were first published because the lane fronting the site is so narrow and well used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

However, when Wastenot MD Bruno Kay-Mouat applied to the parish for a bornement [strictly, a change of alignment] to facilitate a new site entrance, that was approved by douzeniers following a site visit.

Mr Leale explained that this was simply because there were no grounds to object to widening the access although the douzaine had worries about the development itself.

Legal action
'We have to ensure there are valid grounds for turning down bournements,' he said, 'as an earlier case involving the proposed data park at Route Militaire could have led to the whole St Sampson's Douzaine being actioned individually, something that could have ruined them financially.'

Since then, all the parishes have had to take out indemnity insurance for their officers, something that cost the Vale £2,000 a year for its share of the cover.

He said, however, that there were valid grounds for opposing the wider development, which the Douzaine did in a letter to the planning authority, which was one of 16 such representations.

In the event, Planning rejected the application without further consideration because it ruled there was no planning gateway open for it to consider the proposal.

Had to reject
'In essence,' said Mr Leale, 'the significance of the land and its proximity to the coast meant that Planning felt they had no alternative other than to turn it down.'

As director of planning Jim Rowles put it: 'The site lies within a rural and open area within the Northern Slopes, Mielles, coastal landscape and the proposed development, if permitted, would result in the loss of an area of land that, if cleared of glasshouses and ancillary structures, would make a positive contribution to the open land.'

This is the second significant development in the parish this year relating to a redundant vinery. An application to build homes failed in August because the site had been free of glasshouses for so long planners said it could no longer be considered to be a former vinery. Planners have, however, been told to issue a new definition of what the expression means.

Pictured below is the site of special significance (green stippling) and the narrow Rue de la Maraive lane. Photos courtesy Guernsey Press and Star.