St Sampson’s Douzaine is still trying to push back against development plans for the parish – now saying that “concerns continually highlighted” have “largely been ignored”.
The Douzaine’s latest comments around housebuilding plans relate directly to the latest amendments proposed for the Island Development Plan.
Officials for the northern parish claim that concerns it has raised have been ignored, while concerns raised in the Castel about proposed developments at Vazon have been taken on board.
“The response of the Development and Planning Authority (DPA) to the latest public consultation is disappointing given that it grants concessions in response to traffic, road safety, and other concerns arising from the proposed development of just 89 housing dwellings at Vazon and yet St Sampson’s continues to be expected to accommodate over 1,000 new housing dwellings over the next six years, representing 64% of the total allocation across the island,” said the Douzaine.
“Whilst St Sampson’s Douzaine has again expressed concerns over the level of proposed development within the Parish and the likely impacts on existing infrastructure, no concessions have been offered by the DPA.”
Junior Constable for St Sampson’s, Joe Abbotts said that they want to work with the DPA – but they won’t compromise on safety where increased traffic is expected at already busy junctions, where new housing developments are supposed to be being built.
“St Sampson’s Douzaine continues to engage fully in this consultation process and remain committed to highlighting the inevitable impacts on existing infrastructure of concentrating so much of the island’s new housing in the north of the island.
“It is a shame that concerns continually highlighted by the Parish and originally highlighted by traffic consultants Ove Arup and Partners way back in 2010, and again in 2012 when Belgrave Vinery was added, have largely been ignored.
“Central to those concerns is the cumulative impact such developments will have on existing roads infrastructure resulting in numerous junctions operating above capacity with significant queuing.”
Douzenier and Chair of the Parish Planning and Development Committee Karl Guille added: “It is somewhat ironic that the DPA chooses to recognise road safety, traffic management and other concerns raised around the proposed creation of a Local Centre at Vazon with just 89 proposed new houses when it continues to promote over 1,000 new houses in the north of the island where several road junctions are already operating over capacity and where traffic volumes are more than twice the levels seen in the west and south of the island.”
Other concerns raised by St Sampson’s Douzaine in relation to the latest iteration of the IDP are focused on the increased flood risk associated with building new homes in low lying areas like the Braye du Valle.
The Douzaine said it “appreciates that demand for housing, and especially Affordable Housing, is becoming increasingly urgent”, but it doesn’t think the infrastructure in the north of the island can cope with all of the properties planned for St Sampson’s and the Vale.
Douzenier Guille said these concerns have grown more acute with the news that the Parc Le Lacheur development is now moving forward.
The planned development at nearby Leale’s Yard remains on hold, but he said people who live in those areas are worried about the impact on their lives when all the proposed new homes are built.
“Parishioners of St Sampson are rightly concerned about the potential depreciation in the value of their homes and the deterioration in the quality of life that could arise living in such highly developed areas.
“Whilst some of the proposed revised draft plan amendments are to be welcomed, they do nothing to reduce the significant volume of housing which is planned in the north of the Island over the next six years.”
St Sampson’s Douzaine said that the concerns raised by residents have been voiced many times already.
It also said it has been on the “back-foot” since the States approved the Spatial Strategy as part of the IDP in November 2011.
That document focused future housing provision within St Sampson and St Peter Port.
The Douzaine said understands why that decision was made, but “it is extremely disappointed that the States has not taken the opportunity to review the Strategy to allow the burden of development to be shared more widely” across the island.
Junior Constable Abbotts added that this issue is compounded by plans to cram houses in to certain areas, rather than spreading them out more.
“Moving yet more housing dwellings into the Saltpans area instead of building them at Belgrave will further concentrate development within the former Braye du Valle, thereby adding yet more pressure to already constrained infrastructure,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the continued focus of so many new houses in the north of the island will only add to the various challenges currently facing this area; including traffic congestion at already over capacity junctions, road safety issues, pressure on existing ageing and overburdened public utility infrastructure and concerns over coastal and other flood risks.”