ESC has bowed to public pressure with a temporary reprieve for the Water Lanes.
A planning application to install a metal grid over a small part of the stream in the walk way has been put on hold, after the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture requested a six-month extension to a planning condition.
The committee had previously been told that it needed to improve pedestrian and cyclist access to the new Les Ozouets Campus.
That was a planning condition imposed by the Development and Planning Authority when it gave the green light for the building work now underway at Les Ozouets.
The DPA had said improvements needed to be made for pedestrians and cyclists making their way between La Couture and Les Ozouets, including via the Water Lanes. The DPA also said plans for those improvements needed to be submitted within six months of work starting on the site.
ESC has now asked Planning Services for another six months’ grace so they can look at other options – aside from installing a metal grid over part of the stream.
ESC has acknowledged the “strong public reaction” to that idea which has built in opposition over recent weeks.
A petition against the proposed grid was launched earlier this week, gaining hundreds of signatures within days.
The new President of ESC, Deputy Paul Montague said his committee will now look at other options to satisfy the planning requirements for better pedestrian and cyclist access to the new Guernsey Institute campus.
He seems particularly keen personally to avoid making such drastic changes to the Water Lanes, as had been looked at before he was elected into office.
“Safe access to the Les Ozouets Campus for students travelling to and from The Guernsey Institute is clearly very important, however I am very keen that we find a way to achieve this without materially changing an important greenspace,” said Deputy Montague.
“The six-month extension officers have requested will allow alternative options to be looked at, and discussions to take place about the planning requirement itself.
“We will still have to review ways that we can improve active travel routes to Les Ozouets, and it may be the case that we need to return to this idea if there is no alternative, but we will be sure to engage with the public about those options. I’ve been very grateful for the constructive discussions that have already taken place.”