It seems that barely a week goes by without the organisation publicly objecting to another coastline development.
Whether it’s the plans to replace the Water’s Edge Hotel in Bouley Bay with flats, the proposals for the Watersplash in St Ouen’s Bay or the ongoing saga at Plémont, it seems that the Trust objects to anyone touching any part of Jersey’s precious open spaces.
And the group’s seemingly well-rehearsed stance was further cemented in June when it announced the creation of ‘The Line in the Sand’ – a plan to encourage thousands of Islanders to gather on the beach in St Ouen’s Bay to show their support for protecting Jersey’s coastline.
The Trust hopes that at 2 pm on Sunday 4 October at least 5,000 Islanders will join hands and form a line stretching from Le Braye towards L’Etacq. The photo opportunity is designed to show just how much support there is for protecting the coast.
However, Mike Stentiford, the Trust’s president, says that the organisation’s reputation for objecting to all coastal developments is undeserved.’There has been a lot of publicity in recent months on the projects which we have opposed,’ he said. ‘Some people may be starting to think that the National Trust just waits in the wings waiting for planning applications to object to. But this is just not the case. There are a number of developments which we have been pleased with.
‘We know that there has to be some development along the Island’s coastline, but all we ask is that when properties have to be built, it is done so sympathetically. We don’t take any pleasure at all from objecting to developments – we don’t get a kick out of it. But our open spaces are getting more and more precious as every year goes by, and we just want the architects to spend more time thinking about creating buildings that won’t spoil the landscape.’
Four recent developments which have generally met with the approval of the Trust are El Tico, Carteret House (formerly the Bistro Frère), The Navigator Restaurant at Rozel and a newly-built house at La Pulente.
What do you think are the best and worst coastal developments in Jersey? Leve your comments below.
