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A 130-year-old tree, in the middle of a contentious field at Le Vauquiedor, is the latest reason being cited to protect a ‘green lung’ of St Peter Port.
The first requete of this political term was filed in May by Deputy Steve Falla. He is calling for debate on building key worker housing on a green field next to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
It follows a proposal drawn up by the Policy & Resources Committee to build 150 one-bedroom apartments on the site.
Deputy Falla’s requete has been supported be several other deputies, including Adrian Gabriel, Lindsay de Sausmarez, Heidi Soulsby, Peter Roffey and Tina Bury.
Deputy Falla is now drawing attention to a 130-year-old sycamore in the field.
“We have been told that, in terms of the biodiversity they support, including bryophytes (mosses & liverworts) as well as insect and other invertebrate species, the Sycamore ranks highly as an important species,” he said.
“We have lost Elm to Dutch Elm Disease, we will lose Ash to Ash dieback and Guernsey has just recorded the first case of Sweet chestnut blight, so what we have left is worthy of some level of conservation.”
Pictured: Deputy Falla said: “Environmental considerations such as these must be factored in when we consider whether we really want to build on a green lung within a built-up space.”
Deputy Falla has sought environmental advice from Guernsey’s Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services (ACLMS).
“I would regard it as something of a veteran tree,” said an environment services officer.
“Whilst developers often opine that the loss of a tree can be simply mitigated by planting lots of new trees somewhere, the loss of value of a veteran tree would take over a century to recover.”
Guernsey cows sheltering from the sun under the 140+ year old sycamore on the green field at the PEH destined to be concreted over. Do we really want, or need, to see it disappear? No. pic.twitter.com/pTeAQAZqDS
— Deputy Heidi Soulsby MBE (@HeidiSoulsby) July 8, 2022
Pictured: Deputy Soulsby doesn't want to see the field "concreted over".
Guernsey’s Natural Environment Director, Jim Robinson, said: “The landscape context of the field suggests that the area may have additional biodiversity value as an important, undeveloped habitat which connects natural habitats to the East and the West.
"If the field were built on it would infill that connection.”
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