Grass-roofed grand design approved for St. Peter headland

Friday 22 July 2022

A luxury grass-roofed four-bedroomed home will be built overlooking St. Ouen’s Bay after getting the go-ahead from Planning.

The building in the green zone, which is mostly single storey but has an elevated master bedroom, replaces an isolated run-down 1960s house, granny flat and former stable buildings off Le Chemin des Monts de la Mare, which sits on the headland between Jubilee Hill and Val de la Mare reservoir.

The new low-carbon home includes over 500m2 of green roof, drystone granite walls and cedar cladding, a swimming pool, central courtyard garden, gym, solar panels and a separate one-bedroom apartment. 

It will also have its own wildlife pond and large rockery.

Pictured: The current house on the Les Monts headland versus its recently approved replacement. Credit: MS Planning.

Providing more information in the application, consultants MS Planning says on behalf of the applicant: “It is considered that the existing buildings are no longer fit for purpose for habitation. 

“They are too compromised, unsightly and too costly to repair or refurbish and demolition and replacement is therefore justified. 

“The replacement building is well-designed and much more sustainable than the existing buildings. 

“The raising of land levels to the east will reduce the impact of the proposed building in the landscape by making it appear as a small single storey building from the east. 

“Also, the setting back of the top floor - no higher than the existing building - further east into the site, and to rear of the floor below, will, through perspective, result in a reduced visual impact on the skyline compared to the existing building when viewed from various parts of St Ouen’s Bay below.”

It adds: “Through careful design and landscape enhancements this unashamedly modern proposal for a four-bedroom dwelling creates a family residence with a unified connection with its surrounding natural context and provides an exciting sustainable development.

“The dwelling’s design is hunkered down into the site with eastern façade being partially below ground level and through the use of dry stone granite, green roofs and cedar cladding the proposed dwelling blends in with its surrounding landscape, while opening up itself to the coastal views and provides a visually exciting external appearance.”