New "sustainable" plans for Strawberry Farm site

Monday 10 September 2018

A new planning application has been submitted to redevelop the site of Guernsey's former Strawberry Farm.

The Fuller Group, which lodged the application, said it is applying for the same number of buildings which it already has permission for, but "a lower volume" than the existing permission allows, which it said will "provide for a higher quality of construction and design and ultimately a more sustainable building."

The former tourist attraction closed in 2008, having once been a popular destination for locals and visitors wanting a fruity treat along with other attractions on the site.

The Fuller Group has made a number of planning applications in order to redevelop the site since it closed its doors for good as a tourist attraction, including to reopen it as a fruit and plant exhibition space but more recently as a site for housing.

The three and a half acre site sits in St Saviours, in a residential area but some homeowners in the rural parish have previously opposed plans for housing at the former farm.

However, planning permission was given in 2017, although work has not started to redevelop the area since then.

Now a new planning application has been placed, which the Fuller Group said is in addition to the current approved application.

Pictured: The latest planning application for Guernsey's former Strawberry Farm.

In a statement, the Fuller Group said it still plans to convert the site into residential dwellings but it wants to ensure the redevelopment is of a higher quality and sustainability is key to its plans.

"The former Strawberry Farm site received planning permission for the change of use and conversion of the buildings to five dwellings in 2017. Having achieved that permission, Policy GP16(B) provisions for permission to demolish and redevelopment the building.

"The application put forward through Lovell Ozanne is based on the provisions of that policy and seeks permission for five new build dwellings within the footprint of the same building and permission already obtained.

"The application is applying for same area of building and a lower volume than the existing permission. We consider this new build development will provide for a higher quality of construction and design and ultimately a more sustainable building."