THE lobby group of surveyors and property specialists previously strongly opposed to the Waterfront masterplan have now given their full support to the venture.
Group leader Bill Sarre, director of C B Richard Ellis Ltd, has congratulated Environment Minister Freddie Cohen on the Hopkins masterplan after the Assembly voted 40 votes to six in favour last week.
He said that the group accepted the strong democratic vote and was retracting its objection to lowering the road and building a grid-style development of office blocks, shops, a car park and three public spaces.
Mr Sarre said: ‘I would like to congratulate Senator Cohen and say we completely accept the democratic vote he has got and we seek to work with them. They got a strong mandate on it.
‘We have always been in the process to get the best deal for the Island but now we are stopping our objection.’
Earlier in the year the group of surveyors called for the plan to be rejected saying it would be too much of a burden on the public and should be scrapped on environmental grounds.
They sent a 20-page submission to Planning at the time, which they then sent to States Members ahead of last week’s debate.
Days before the debate Mr Sarre accused WEB director Steven Izatt of applying ‘spin’ to their objections which they had spent a considerable amount of time researching.
But despite the group’s concerns that sinking Route de la Libération would cause major disruption to the public, they have now accepted the scheme.
Mr Sarre said that the group would still have a few constructive comments to make but they would relate to the approved plan.
‘We have a couple of comments but that is working with the plan rather than against it,’ he said. ‘We will come back to them about the sunken square.’
Mr Sarre said he did not want to comment on the recent revelations about Harcourt’s two lawsuits in Las Vegas and Ireland.
‘That is for WEB and the States to resolve. I think it has got as political as it is going to get. We never had a problem with Harcourt.
‘The States have made a decision to do this and Harcourt have to deliver it. I hope our comments are wrong – we will have clients moving into this scheme. The debate is over and this scheme has been accepted.’
