Plans to knock down a landmark property in the middle of St Ouen’s Bay and build a five-bedroom home with a swimming pool and beachside hot tub have been criticised by the National Trust as “visually dominant” and “inappropriate” for the location.
Proposals to demolish former restaurant and guest house Cutty Sark, which sits between Sands and Kempt Tower, were submitted on behalf of its current owner earlier this year.
If approved, a new two-storey five-bedroom property would be built on the site.
The private home would feature a dining terrace, ‘dunescape’ canopies leading down to the Five Mile Road, and a car lift which will descend to a four-space basement garage featuring a turning circle and bike store.
It is understood that, if approved, the rebuilt property – which sits within the Coastal National Park – will remain the home of its current owner.
But the National Trust for Jersey has and raised concerns about the “increase in the mass and scale” of the development, and its potential ecological impact.
In a letter, the trust said it “appreciates that the existing building is in need of attention but does not regard the proposed plans as appropriate in this highly protected area”.
The charity raised concerns that, despite the reduction in the footprint, the new property would be “more visually dominant” than the existing house.
“We are concerned that the increase in the mass and scale versus the existing building will
stand out on the skyline and will not be an improvement on the visual character of the area,” it added.
“Traveling along the road, the view of the seascape will be more heavily impeded than it is currently.”
Pressures to build bigger properties continue to increase and to threaten the Coastal National Park, which should be protected as a top priority
the national trust for jersey
The National Trust said that “pressures to build bigger properties continue to increase and to threaten the Coastal National Park, which should be protected as a top priority”.
The trust criticised the proposed development for coming across as “an architectural statement”.
“Whilst clear and commendable efforts have been made to create a more sympathetic design, the overall scale of these plans offset any such benefit from delivering a net enhancement,” the letter said.
The charity said that a “more modest proposal” would be welcomed, adding that a building that is “less dominant and more sympathetic with the existing landscape environment” would be “more appropriate” in this location.
The National Trust also raised concerns about the ecological impact of the development, which is located within the Coastal National Park and the Protected Coastal Area.
“The proposed landscaping is therefore the area of most concern from an ecological
perspective, both in the profiling of the site boundaries and in the species chosen for planting,” it said.
“The proposed planting list for the site is focused on coastal and dune species, which will
tolerate the harsh conditions on the site. This is a welcome and laudable aim.
“However, care is needed to ensure that planting doesn’t impact the surrounding habitats or the genetic integrity of species already present.”
The charity suggested that, due to the “sensitivity” of the site, the applicant should be required to plant only native species from local seed stock.
It explained that some of the species proposed have the potential to be invasive in this landscape and should be avoided.
The trust added that the applicant should also provide a species list for the proposed green roof, as these features often make use of non-native succulent plants which can be highly invasive in semi-natural landscapes.