Pointues Rocques residents "angry, deeply frustrated, and depressed"

Friday 22 March 2019

A letter has been written to all of the island's deputies in a final act of protest from a group of residents who live around Pointues Rocques, now that the Draft Development Framework has been approved.

The Framework was first announced going on two years ago in 2017, but was immediately met by resistance from the residents. They organised a protest march, and have written numerous representations to the planning authority at every turn.

And all of that did lead to some changes being made to the Framework in the latter half of last year, but the residents were still not happy, arguing the changes were mostly token.

But despite this, earlier this week the plans were given the go ahead, and while that does not mean any building work can happen immediately, the likelihood of major development is significantly increased.

Pictured: A Pointues Rocques site map. 

In the letter written by the resident group leader, Dr Carmen Wheatley, the residents explained how they felt their effort in trying to amicably resist the plans had been ignored.

"If proof were needed that we no longer live in a democracy, you may find it in the announcement a day ago that the Draft Development plan for Pointues Rocques has been passed, without addressing any of the legal/ Land Law related points on Conservation issues, with a most unsatisfactory supposed solution to the traffic hazards, and a complete disregard for many other valid issues, some of them also of legal validity, raised by our community as a whole, and by the Delancey Conservation Committee, which represents the several hundred residents of the area," she said.

"To say the community here is angry, deeply frustrated, depressed, and wondering to what avail is all the time, energy, money and other resources that we have all invested into trying to change our future, would be an understatement.

"This outcome comes across as deeply tyrannical and unjust. We have the message that all that we do towards the future is pointless and that we are powerless."

One of the entrances to the Pointues Rocques vinery. 

Dr Wheatley had gathered comments from a number of the residents, all of whom put in a great deal of time and energy to constructively engage with the DDF application and come up with valid reasons why it should not go through. 

Douzenier Andrew Carre asked Deputies why they had not been more visibly involved in this process: "I can tell you I am utterly speechless (as is almost everyone else) with this decision, the effect and impact this will have on the north of our Island is going to be a game changer for everyone who lives in Guernsey and not for the better.

"Do you Deputies have no input/say/power in any of this, has no one been listening?"

The DPA did adjust their plans slightly last September. 

Sarah Greeno, another member of the Conservation Committee, said they had hoped the initial decision would be turned around following all of the discussion that has taken place - road safety and the congestion of that small St Sampson's area has been at the heart of that discussion. She said: "I've read the 26 page report from Planning and it is the usual story of completely ignoring everyone's valid points and brushing them aside with no consideration.

"After all, they can now say that the decision was made following a full public consultation (as they did with the DIDP consultation). Another box ticked. They completely run the show and they rely on people tiring and giving up. Even in a case like this when they have been supplied with a constant stream of valid, constructive information they have the audacity to fob us off as if we have no clue."

One of the more recent arguments presented to the DPA by the residents was that of the value of the site as a conversation area. The plans would take the parts of the site that need to be conserved into account, but Dr Wheatley said this was not much of a reassurance. 

But this was all after the plans had been revised by the States. And while at the time Dr Wheatley said those revisions were just "lip service", the DPA have now passed the plans with those changes.

If a developer now applies for permission to build on the site, over 100 homes could be created. That planning application could be rejected, however. 

Pictured top: The Pointues Rocques Vinery.