DPA offers olive branch as disagreement over inert waste rumbles on

Monday 29 July 2024

The Development & Planning Authority has offered to work constructively over the future of inert waste.

After the political members of DPA went against the professional planners' advice and turned down an application to temporarily stockpile inert waste at the reclamation site, a shocked States Trading & Supervisory Board warned the decision risked plunging the construction industry into chaos and highlighted the fact there had been no objections raised to the application.

While it has also said it would work with DPA, the issue could be heading for a States debate in September.

DPA published its written reasons for turning down the application this morning.

“We share [STSB President] Deputy [Peter] Roffey’s disappointment that the States has yet to find a solution for the disposal of inert waste,” the DPA said.

“However, the fact that there was no opposition expressed to Guernsey Waste’s temporary stockpiling application does not remove the need for us to consider the application on policy grounds. 

“The reasons for the refusal of this application were outlined at the meeting and are now published online. We are still hopeful that a workable solution can be found and remain very willing to work constructively and collaboratively with the STSB to that end.”

The States has failed this term to approve a permanent solution for inert waste disposal even as space at Longue Hougue ran out.

STSB proposed a temporary stockpile that would last for up to three years with another three years to clear it while a decision is made.

In the open planning meeting that discussed the application, DPA members suggested the waste could be used to raise the height of Longue Hougue permanently instead and raised concerns about how the stockpile could impact on future developments on the Bridge.

A week later the official written reasoning has been published:

• Given the scale of the proposed development and the likely timeframes involved, the Authority did not consider the proposal to be of a minor or inconsequential nature and was not satisfied that in the absence of an approved Local Planning Brief for St Sampsons Harbour Action Area, the proposal in the form submitted would not prejudice the outcome of the Local Planning Brief process, or would not inhibit the implementation of an approved Local Planning Brief. Consequently, it was considered that the scheme did not comply with Policy IP2 of the Island Development Plan.
• Given the scale of the proposed development and the timeframes involved, the Authority did not consider the proposal to be of a minor or inconsequential nature and was not satisfied that in the absence of an approved Local Planning Brief for St Sampsons Harbour Action Area, the proposal in the form submitted would not prejudice the outcomes of the Local Planning Brief process, or would not inhibit the implementation of an approved Local Planning Brief. The development of the Local Planning Brief seeks to maximise the positive potential of the Harbour Action Areas to deliver economic, social and environmental outcomes, while balancing significant competing issues with the potential to deliver significant strategic development. It also seeks to address issues such as increasing flood risk. Consequently, it was considered that the scheme did not satisfactorily comply with Policy MC10 of the Island Development Plan.
• Given the scale of the proposed development, the Authority was also of the view that the proposal did not amount to sustainable development in accordance with criterion (b) of Policy GP8 of the Island Development Plan.

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