"Whole-hearted" support for IDP requete

Monday 10 June 2019

The IDP's lack of a third party appeal mechanism is unfair on neighbours, according to a conservation group who believe that brownfield sites are no longer being prioritised for development at the expense of green land.

The Delancey Conservation Committee, which has made strong objections to plans to build 150 properties in a Conservation Area at Pointues Rocques, said a recently-lodged requete could "right some of the wrongs" in the Island Development Plan.

Deputy Jenniffer Merrett and a group of other deputies want to see a wide-ranging review of the IDP that, among other things, makes the IDP more responsive to change, safeguards green field sites where possible and gives the Development & Planning Authority greater powers to object to controversial developments.

The DCC said the requete showed that some deputies "had actually been listening" to the public's concerns and "genuinely want to put things right". 

"One deputy in particular, Jennifer Merrett, has worked tirelessly to put together a detailed requete, in an effort to right the wrongs of the IDP," they said. "This requete is meticulously thought-out and has given us great relief from the constant brick wall that we have found ourselves banging our heads against, when dealing with members of the DPA.  At last we have been heard, we thought.  Perhaps it is not too late after all."

The Delancey Conservation Committee is strongly opposed to plans to build 150 houses on this 2.5 hectare site at Pointues Rocques, St Sampson. 

The Committee regards the DPA's recently announced 'Action Plan' for top-to-bottom review of the IDP in 2021 as an unwelcome curveball.

"It seems that Deputy Merrett’s impending requete may have forced the hand of the DPA and kicked it into action

"How much more planning and monitoring do we need? The housing requirement has almost halved since the IDP was adopted and there has been a constant flow of community engagement, not to mention the cost of yet another public enquiry."

The Committee urged people to read the requete online - highlighting that the DPA is yet to public anything on its 'Action Plan' - and to get behind it. 

"Green fields are being developed, including those that were previously protected in the previous Urban Area Plan, brownfield sites are no longer prioritised for development, cumulative impact is not adequately considered [and] people are no longer being considered," they said.   

"The IDP is very fair if you are a developer, who can appeal against a rejected plan with a good chance of winning.  But there is no third party right of appeal for people affected by neighbouring development, as there is in Jersey.  This is one of the wrongs that Deputy Merrett’s very well-arranged and accurate requete intends to put right before 2021. It is an action-plan drawn up with the Guernsey community in mind."

Pictured top: Pointues Rocques