A bid to revive controversial plans to turn the former Nude Dunes restaurant into self-catering tourist accommodation has been turned down by the Environment Minister – who has upheld a decision by the Planning Committee to refuse the scheme.
Deputy Steve Luce has dismissed an appeal from Nude Food Dunes Limited, over proposals for the shuttered La Pulente site that saw hundreds of islanders attend a protest last summer.
His decision effectively upholds the original decision to refuse planning permission, which was made by the Planning Committee towards the end of last year.
The story so far…
The converted former toilet block was sold off by the States for around £100,000 in 2014.
It was briefly home to Nude Dunes, which went bust in November 2023 just months after opening its doors.
Owner Nadia Miller later asked Planning for permission for a change of use after failing to find a buyer for the site as a restaurant, and submitted plans for a two-bedroom self-catering unit with an attached café and public toilets.
But a protest co-ordinated by St Brelade Deputy Montfort Tadier in July saw almost 300 people gather at the beach to “show support for the protection of La Pulente and the wider coastline from privatisation and overdevelopment”.
The plans, which garnered more than 120 public comments, were refused in December.
A separate revised planning application for an “economically viable” beach café was later submitted, as well as an appeal challenging the decision on the original proposals.
However, Environment Minister Steve Luce has upheld the refusal, going against the recommendation of an independent planning inspector, David Hainsworth – who recommended that permission be granted.
The redundancy of the existing approved use for the site had not been sufficiently demonstrated
government statement
In a statement issued following the appeal’s dismissal, the government explained that the minister “was satisfied that there were sufficient reasons not to give effect to the inspector’s recommendation”.
The statement continued: “The minister recognised that the proposed development had the potential to provide a new use for the currently vacant building, which is in a sensitive location of Jersey’s Coastal National Park.
“It would also offer the prospect of securing the reopening and maintenance of public toilets and the operation of a café.”
It also said Deputy Luce agreed that the proposed development “would not harm the landscape character of the area”.
On balance, however, it was decided that the proposed development conflicted with policies set out in the Island Plan.
“Specifically, the Minister considered that the redundancy of the existing approved use for the site had not been sufficiently demonstrated,” the statement added.
“Additionally, the design and layout failed to optimise the quality of the proposed uses for the site.”