Morally correct decision

From Mike Stentiford, president, National Trust for Jersey.

HAVING listened to the pros and cons of the development plans for the Plémont headland at a recent public meeting, the final decision of the Environment Minister Freddie Cohen was to refuse permission for the building of 36 houses in such a sensitive coastal location adjacent to a zone of outstanding character.

Although this was undoubtedly both a difficult and a courageous decision to make, it was also a morally correct one; a fact that was made clearly evident by the loud applause from the large number of people in attendance.

It was also in accordance with one of the overriding objectives of the Island Plan 2002 to protect and enhance the character of Jersey’s coastline.

The National Trust for Jersey wishes to publicly express its appreciation to the minister for his decisiveness in reaching this meritorious decision, an appreciation that is undoubtedly shared by an overwhelming number of Islanders.

The trust also feels that this must now surely prove an opportune moment to open into direct dialogue with the developers with a view to purchasing the headland and returning it back to its natural wild state for the benefit of everyone in Jersey.

This passionate will to reach a satisfactory conclusion has long been in evidence particularly through the trust’s Coastline Campaign and its delivery to the Chief Minister, in November 2006, of the Save Plémont petition containing some 10,327 signatures.

There is obviously a great desire by a large number of Jersey’s populace to reach a final conclusion to this long and painful saga and the National Trust wishes to express its willingness to assist in securing a satis-factory outcome in any way realistically possible.

The Elms, St Mary.