The charity’s chief executive, Charles Alluto, declined to say how much the pledges, which were collected in just ten days, amount to but the land is valued at between £200,000 and £250,000.
‘Thanks to the public’s generosity we have been able to raise a significant amount of money in such a short time, which demonstrates the enormous value of St Ouen’s Bay for Islanders,’ he said.
‘We want to thank everyone for the enormous level of support in assisting the trust in trying to protect this land for the benefit of the Island. We have been very much humbled by the pledges we have received since we launched the appeal.’
The pledges enabled the charity to meet Thursday’s noon deadline for bids for the duneland between Le Braye Café and El Tico to be submitted to Maillard’s Estates. Agent Tommy A’Court is handling the sale for the owners, the Simon family, who also own and operate the sand works in St Ouen’s Bay. If the charity’s bid is accepted those who make pledges will be asked to back them up with the cash.
The National Trust ran a similar fundraising campaign to raise money to acquire the old holiday campsite on the Plémont headland and return the site to nature.
Mr A’Court would not divulge how many bids had been received, as the tendering process is confidential, and he said it would be down to the Simon family to make any announcement once they had decided which bid to accept.
The trust has also bid to buy agricultural fields on both sides of Pine Walk overlooking St Catherine’s Bay. The three fields are owned by the States and are valued at £77,000 to £99,000.
The tendering process closed last week but Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis says no decision has yet been made as to which bid will be accepted.
