Developers hit back at complaints over Grouville quarry plans

Friday 17 September 2021

Developers have defended their plans for Grouville quarry against nearly 50 objections from islanders backed by the Constable, arguing that they had misunderstood proposals which will actually result in “demonstrable environmental gains” for the area.

If approved by Planning, four new industrial sites will be created on the site at La Rue des Alleurs.

47 out of 48 comments currently on the Planning application site are objections, with one comment stating it was "totally out of place" along the steep road, and another saying the widening of gates from 5m to 6m will "permanently damage the area."

However, MS Planning Consultant John Nicholson has argued in a recently-published letter that "no harm to amenities will occur", and that the "weight of local understanding is perhaps based on a misunderstanding of the proposals."

Pictured: The application proposes four industrial units, taking up approximately 125 sq m of floorspace each.

In the letter, Mr Nicholson said that though the site is within a Green Zone where there is a presumption against development, there is "not a moratorium" against development.

He argued that there could not any suggestion would be "serious harm" to the landscape, saying that, on the contrary, there was a "comprehensive package of enhancements" to the area and that Green Zone policy supports developments with "demonstrable environmental gains."

He listed some of these as removing "abnormal loads" from the roads, adding bat boxes in accordance with recommendations made with an ecological survey, and ensuring all activities are internal within the buildings.

Pictured: The entrance will be extended from 5m to 6m which the Transport Statement from KS Synergy says will "improve driver visibility."

On landscape, he said that the trees already removed in winter 2020 were in "dangerous condition", and that the work had been carried out by professional ecologists and with dialogue with the Government of Jersey Natural Environment Team.

He added that the application proposes "extensive new planting", including 10 to 15 two-metre tall potted trees along the roadside bank, Hawthorne scrub planting, and up to 10 two-metre tall alder trees on the southern edge, and a double-staggered hedgerow 80m across the fence line.

In response to concerns around light pollution from traffic light installations suggested by IHE in their transport consultation, Mr Nicholson said MS Planning had approached them "to review other options."

Regarding traffic and highway concerns, he said that that "although there will be a slight increase in traffic, the type of vehicles operating will mainly be cars and vans compared to the existing situation which uses much larger heavy goods and operational vehicles."

Pictured: Mr Nicholson states there would be "extensive new planting" if the application were passed.

He referenced traffic assessment carried out by KR Synergy Limited, which is currently not on the Planning Application site but has been shared with Express.

It states that "at worst, the proposed development will generate an additional 12 [passenger car units]/hr, 2-way traffic compared to the existing case" - a metric counting the current heavy good vehicle traffic as three passenger car units, rather than one.

It adds that no Road Traffic Collision study was undertaken, as it was "only relevant when the development proposals result in a significant increase in site-generated traffic volumes and/or changes are made to the layout or traffic operations at the site access junction."

Pictured: The Transport Statement's assessment of traffic - this is with the assumption that two staff/unit will drive and park on-site, with each site vans, deliveries to the site take place outside peak traffic periods, and counts one heavy goods vehicle as three passenger car units.

In terms of access routes, it says it would prefer the "that the vehicular route in and out of the Quarry site be from the north on La Rue des Alleurs as per the current operation," something that is the preferred option of the Parish, which owns and controls the road.

However, it acknowledges that IHE's alternative option of one-way route northwards down the road from the South side "has merit" too - Mr Nicholson later told Express it was not the preferred option though, as "there are already build-outs on La Rue des Alleurs which limit the ability of large vehicles to turn up the hill and these would be maintained."

Mr Nicholson also told Express that the Parish Roads Committee had now issued a comment to them saying that "no staff should park on the roads and that all cars should be contained within the unit."

The plans make room for 15 car parking spaces within the quarry, saying that "deliveries and servicing vehicles will park at the forecourt during their short stay on-site."

Mr Nicholson's letter also suggested that Grouville's Constable, John Le Maistre, hadn't always been against the plans.

He said that the Constable's latest view was a "markedly different position from the pre-application feedback verbally given... when he was provided with a full-set of the application material ahead of submission, and met with the applicant."

Pictured: Grouville Constable John Le Maistre, who objected to the application, disputed the letter's suggestion that he had been potentially "pressured" by public feedback.

When Express asked the Constable about this, he stood by his objections and refuted the idea he had been "influenced by potentially misinformed (and pressured) public feedback", as was suggested in the letter.

He stated that it was not "so much pressure from parishioners, but that they pointed out the various things which I thought had merit."

He said his mind was changed by reasons like the fact the road was on Cycle Route One on the Jersey Cycle Network.

He added that he had spoken to schoolchildren who use the lane to get to school, and said that, as he could see there was "likely to be considerably more traffic", this contributed to his change of mind.

Pictured: One of the main reasons Constable Le Maistre gave for objecting to the plans was the fact the road is on a cycle route. (Wendy Durell)

Some parishioners said they were “upset” with the tone of the letter too, telling Express they took issue with the implication they were “misinformed,” and had “bombarded” other neighbours with flyers.

Gill Windall, partner of Wendy Durell, who has sent out flyers objecting to the development, said that Ms Durell had only sent three flyers to around 20 people over the space of four months, and that the letter had “misrepresented” this.

The application will go before the Planning Committee at a later date.